Nest Egg
by Louise Lewin
Summary: As their kids get closer to flying the nest, the reality of life with three teenagers kicks in for Edward and Bella Cullen. They attempt to juggle home, work and family, sensing a new chapter in their lives looming on the horizon. Pity they never thought to read the title… AH, M
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer for story: I do not own Twilight, but I do own this plot.**

*****This will NOT interfere with my other stories*****

**Thanks to A Jasper For Me for her beta'ing, friendship, and encouragement!**

**This story will have a bit of everything- drama, romance, lemons, fluff, light angst ... I hope you like it! **

* * *

**Nest Egg**

**Chapter 1**

**EPOV**

I hadn't had a lie-in in years, or at least that's what it felt like. There was always something that needed to be done, someone needing a lift or some fucker getting out the lawn mower at 6 AM on a Sunday (yes, Newton, I'm talking about you!). So I wasn't altogether surprised when I was roused by the sound of arguments from down the hall.

Rubbing the sleep from my eyes, I went to investigate, finding my two daughters arguing in their shared bathroom.

"Hurry up!" My eldest, Madison screamed, her bronze curls matted from sleep. I had really hoped by seventeen she would have been out of the worst of her teens … more fool me.

Fourteen-year-old Lexie looked smug as she exaggeratedly brushed her teeth.

"Agh! You're such a little brat!" Madison screamed in frustration.

"Girls!" I warned in my 'dad' voice. "What's going on?"

Madison pointed to her sister, her eyes alight with fury. "_She _has been in the bathroom for _hours, _Dad! I'm supposed to be meeting my friends at the mall in an hour and I haven't even showered! She's doing it on purpose!"

Lexie spat her toothpaste out, adopting a look of innocence that I didn't buy for one second.

I sighed, still sleepy and wishing I hadn't been woken. "Lex, you know better than that. I'm so tired of fights over this bathroom. Maybe I should start a rota, huh?"

Both girls gasped as if this was the worst thing they could possibly imagine. "And you, Madison, you shouldn't tell tales on your sister. You're both old enough to know better. Now apologise to her for calling her a brat."

She pouted for a second. "Sorry ... I didn't mean it. You're not a brat … all of the time."

I rolled my eyes, but decided it was better than nothing. "And you, Lexie, apologise for winding Madison up."

"Sorry, sis. I'm all finished now and I'll try to be quicker next time."

They shared a quick hug before Madison ran in and shut the door behind her, while my other little 'angel' went to her room.

I blew out a breath and wandered downstairs to the kitchen, making myself a cup of coffee. It was 10 AM so I knew Bella had left for work about an hour and a half ago, and chances were, Aaron wouldn't surface 'til midday. My wife didn't usually work on Saturday mornings, but occasionally it couldn't be helped.

If you had told me twenty-five years ago I'd be happily married with three kids and a successful business, I probably would have laughed, then laughed some more. I was too busy studying and partying to care about settling down any time soon … if ever. That was until I caught sight of her at a party. Bella.

I was in my junior year at Northwestern University, studying architecture. I'd grown up in the suburbs of Chicago, and I never really had a desire to go far from home. My brother, Emmett, was a senior, and together we were infamous for our charm and our looks. Looking back, I was a cocky son of a bitch, so I'm still not entirely sure how Bella ended up marrying me. Perhaps the fact that once I saw her chestnut hair flowing over her shoulders, looked into those captivating dark eyes, heard her infectious laugh, and got to know her stimulating mind, I left my old ways in the dust. She was wary of me but I never gave up trying, and finally I got her to agree to a date with me. I took it slow, I didn't push, keeping things chaste for months. In the end, she ended up being the one to seduce me, but I wanted her to know I was serious about her and about us, and that was worth the months of painful blue balls.

Three years after our first date, after Bella's graduation, I got down on bended knee and asked her to be my wife. A year later we were married, and two years after that, Madison Ann Cullen was born. That day I fell in love for the second time, my heart expanding with the love I had for her and her momma. She inherited my bronze colouring and unruly hair, and Bella's chestnut brown eyes. I knew I would have to buy a big-ass gun one day to keep little punks from trying to get their hands on her.

Six months after Madison's birth, we were shocked to learn Bella was pregnant again. I'm not going to lie, I was fucking scared- one baby was a handful, but two? Still, I knew somehow we would make it work. We moved out of our apartment and into a three-bed house in the suburbs.

Aaron Anthony Cullen was born on the 20th February 1997. He was perfect, with dark mahogany hair, like his momma, and eyes that soon turned emerald green, just like mine. He was going to break hearts one day.

Life wasn't easy with a one-year-old and a new-born baby, and it was one of the toughest times in our marriage. I was working long hours; when I finished college, I'd joined my brother in setting up our own company specialising in building and re-modelling homes, and it was taking off in a big way. I was the architectural side of the operation, Emmett was in charge of scheduling and contractors and whatnot; I was the brains, he was the brawn. When Bella and my sister, Alice, finished at Northwestern, they both joined _Cullen, Inc._ as interior designers/admin workers. The plan was for Bella to return to work part-time a few months after Madison was born, but my potent sperm put paid to that, so we hired more staff, including a new finance and accounting manager, Jasper Whitlock, who was now my brother-in-law.

Faced with my long days, Bella, in the midst of her exhaustion, was convinced I was having an affair with my leggy Italian-American secretary, Gianna, and came down to the office with Maddie and Aaron, promptly unleashing her vitriol at me for the entire building to hear. Suffice to say, I was mortified, but more with the thought Bella had entertained the idea I could have been unfaithful. Finally, I managed to convince her I was not having an affair and we began to communicate again.

My mom, Esme, was happy to look after the kids a few days a week so Bella could come into work if she felt like it, or stay at home and relax. Slowly the dark circles beneath her eyes, and mine, for that matter, began to decrease.

To this day though, I still suspect when Bella learnt she was pregnant for the third time, just a year after Aaron's birth, she considered taking a rusty, blunt instrument to my balls. I mean, three kids under the _age_ of three? I had serious words with my cock that night. It was one horny fucker (literally) and the swimmers it released clearly were not deterred by condoms.

1998 was not a fun year. Our little starter home just wasn't big enough for our growing family, so I decided the time was ripe to build our own. Days were spent working on other people's projects before I would rush home to my pregnant wife, managing her mood swings and satisfying her food cravings. I would bathe the kids and put them to bed before getting to work on our own house, finally collapsing into bed in the small hours of the morning. I was a machine. And don't even mention Bella's second trimester when the libido kicked in. I'd never been so knackered in all my life. But it didn't matter, because I did it for them.

When Alexa Mae was placed in my arms one August morning, I felt the same joy, serenity and love I had felt with Madison and Aaron. My heart was filled to burst, and it made everything worth it.

There was a sting in the tail though. With our first two children, Bella had recovered as well as any new mother could be expected to, given the hormones still racing through their bodies and the sleepless nights. But after Lexie's birth, Bella slumped into a depression that went beyond the usual 'baby blues'. She found it hard to get out of bed at all and she didn't even want to look at Lexie. Both Renee and Esme came to stay to help look after the children, as well as Bella, and then we battled to get her to see a doctor. I don't think I'd ever felt so scared and helpless in my life. It wasn't easy, but with a combination of medication and some sessions with a counsellor, Bella began to get back to her normal self. She bonded with our baby girl, and their relationship never suffered as a result.

"Dad?" Lexie asked, pulling me from my reverie as she sat down with a glass of orange juice.

"Huh?"

"I asked if you can give me a lift over to Bree's tonight. Are you feeling okay? I thought it would be a few more years before I found you sitting staring into space. I need a job to pay for the residential home, you know."

That was my Lexie, always with the cheek. I reached across to ruffle her dark brown locks, just like her mother's. She was her mini-me.

"Da-_ad!_" she whined, smoothing her hair down again.

"Turnabout's fair play, kiddo. I'll have you know, I'm one of the coolest, youngest dads around."

She shook her head. "Dad, you _cannot _say 'cool'… it's just lame."

I laughed. She was at that oh-so-easily-embarrassed age. Lex was so very much like her mother in appearances, even her style. She preferred skinny jeans and Converse to dresses and heels. _Thank the Lord for small mercies._

Unfortunately, the same could not be said for Madison. She had inherited her aunt's flair for fashion, but also seemed to think short dresses, skirts, and high heels or boots were appropriate in any weather. I didn't agree and wondered where I could buy a chastity belt. That said, although she had her adolescent moments, she was very mature for her age.

"So, will you take me?" Lexie asked again.

"Sure thing. I'm taking your mom on a date tonight but I'm sure I can drop you off. You're staying over, right?"

She rolled her eyes. "Yes, thank God. The last thing I need is to witness anything that goes on between you and Mom. It was bad enough walking in on Aaron-"

I spat a mouthful of coffee out in shock, sputtering as Lexie slapped her hand across her mouth.

"What the hell? What about Aaron?"

"I can't say, I promised not to!"

"Alexa Mae, do you want to go to Bree's tonight?"

"That's blackmail, Daddy!"

_Uh-oh, she only pulls the Daddy card when it's something big._

I raised an eyebrow and she huffed in resignation. "Fine, but I've tried to block these images from my mind so if I'm scarred for life from recalling this, you're paying for therapy."

"Duly noted."

"I walked in on Aaron and some girl … mostly undressed, save her pants. Let's just say I saw things nightmares are made of, and I may now never be able to have sex because the images are far too gruesome."

Jesus, did she want me to have a heart attack?

"Lexie! Can we please not mention you and sex in the same sentence? You're only fourteen!"

She shrugged unapologetically. "Almost fifteen. Anyway, he begged me not to say anything. Crap, you're not going to tell him are you?"

"Language, kid," I warned. "And I don't know what I'm going to do yet. Don't worry, he's more stupid than he looks if he thought you could keep a secret. I grew up with your Aunt Alice, and you are just like her- apart from the shopping thing."

She wrinkled her nose. "Yeah, that's all Madison's domain. Speaking of, where the hell is she? I've got practice in twenty minutes and she said she'd give me a ride."

"Well then, next time, don't purposely hog the bathroom."

"Touché," she said, draining her orange juice.

Footsteps on the stairs announced Maddie's arrival. It was a good job I hadn't taken a sip of coffee or I would have been choking when she came into sight. She was in a baby blue sundress that barely covered her behind and death-trap high heels, most likely bought by her aunt.

"Madison, how is that outfit appropriate for the mall?" I asked, all the while thinking '_How is it appropriate anywhere?!'_ I'd learnt to choose my battles.

"Dad, it's called fashion! Please can we not have another row over clothes?"

"Change your shoes; at least wear sandals. You're not going clubbing, you know."

"Are you saying if I go clubbing, I can wear a dress and heels?" she asked excitedly.

"No, now I'm saying if you go clubbing, you'll be grounded 'til you're thirty. Now change the shoes."

She sighed, kicking off the heels and pulling some weird cage-type sandal from the closet in the hall. "Better?"

"Much," I said, kissing her cheek. "Have a good time, sweetie. You too, Lex."

My girls said goodbye and flounced out the door. I watched them from the hall window, laughing as they went. On Madison's sixteenth birthday, we had given her my old car. Technically we were now a five car family; Bella and I both had SUV's, one a Chevrolet and one a Volvo. Then there was my special occasion Lexus, which was my other baby. Maddie had my old Volvo, and when Aaron turned sixteen three months ago, we bought him a new Toyota Yaris. Lexie liked to think when she turned sixteen we'd give her the Lexus because of the name. _Dream on, kid, dream on._

The phone rang and I picked up the handset in the kitchen, reading the caller id. _Emmett. _

"Hey," I answered.

_"Hey, bro, how's it hangin'?"_

"Everything's fine, Em, you?"

_"Dammit, Edward, you're no fun! You're supposed to answer 'a little to the left!'"_

"I'm sorry," I said sarcastically, "I thought I was talking to my brother, not my fifteen-year-old nephew."

_"Like I said, you're no fun!"_

"Was there a point to this phone call?"

_"Sure was,"_ Emmett said. _"Just checking things are still on for the Memorial Day cookout at yours on Monday?"_

"Yeah, Bella's been getting everything sorted. According to the list, we're on meat, Mom and Dad are on sides, Alice and Jazz are on desserts and you're on-"

_"Drinks, baby!"_

"Drinks," I finished. "But whose bright idea that was, I'll never know."

He boomed with laughter. _"Awesome. Anyway, just wanted to say, I'm picking Dale up from his soccer practice at one and wondered if you needed Lex picked up, too?"_

"Actually, yeah, that will be really helpful," I said. "Bella's left me a list of chores to do before our date tonight."

_"Ahh, gonna do the nasty, huh? Bump uglies? Make the two-backed beast?"_

"Goodbye Emmett, love to Rose and Dale!"

I ended the phone call, chuckling to myself at my brother's immature humour. After I dropped out of the 'game' in college, as he referred to it, Em continued to reap the benefits of the Cullen genes in the form of one night stands for a while, until one day, he met his match. Now I have to be very diplomatic when I say this, but Rosalie Hale was every guy's theoretical wet dream, with her statuesque figure, long blonde hair, blue eyes and big boobs. Plus, she was a mechanic running her own garage. I think Emmett whimpered when he learnt that. He'd taken his beloved, but tired, Jeep into Hale Autos and he swears he fell in love the second he saw her.

Emmett brought her out to meet Bella, myself, Alice, and our friends Angela and Ben. Bella wasn't an overly insecure person by nature, but it took her a little while to warm up to Rosalie. Despite the fact we had just got engaged, she seemed to feel threatened. She had no need to worry, she was the only one for me.

I smiled as I thought of my date with Bella tonight, deciding I'd better get on with the chores. I went upstairs to throw some sweats on, passing Aaron's door on the way. I was going to knock but was cut off by one of his chainsaw-like snores. I definitely had to talk to Bella about what Lexie had told me. We weren't stupid enough to believe our son wasn't sexually active, and we'd had the safe sex conversation. The problem was more that: a) it set a bad example for Lexie, and b) the way he seemed to be going through girls was extremely troublesome. He was acting like … well, a teenage me. And trust me, I did not treat girls with the respect they deserved at that age.

I sighed. I'd give him another ten minutes before I turned the vacuum cleaner on. Right outside his door. That'll teach the horny bastard.

.

**BPOV**

**.**

"It's perfect," Alice said, admiring the burgundy dress as I emerged from the changing room. I really needed something new to wear tonight, so after my sister-in-law and I finished our morning's work, we stopped off at a couple of boutiques.

With its beautiful A-line skirt down to mid-thigh, ruching under my breasts and a modest V-neck, the dress fit all of my requirements. It wasn't that I was fussy, it was just that after three children and at the age of forty-two, I needed to be more selective to hide my problem areas, while still being able to feel sexy.

"Yep," I agreed. "I'll definitely take it."

"Has he told you where you're going tonight?" she called from outside the changing room.

"Alice, this is your brother we're talking about. When has he ever told me anything before a date?"

She laughed as I threw my clothes back on, in a rush to be home now. All three kids had sleepovers tonight, and I was determined to make myself look pretty for my husband on this mini-anniversary. People probably thought we were lame for still celebrating our first date, but I thought it was sweet.

I paid for the dress and a cute pair of kitten heels before dragging a reluctant and salivating Alice away from a pair of Prada boots.

I'd met her in my graphic design class when I moved from Florida to go to college at Northwestern. She was bubbly and vivacious and we got along instantly. A couple of months into the semester, we went to a party her brothers were attending, and I remembered thinking '_Holy fucking hell!', _the moment I saw Edward. I knew of his reputation, but that didn't mean I couldn't look, did it?

Imagine my surprise when he started pursuing me. Edward Cullen didn't pursue anyone. Until then. I played hard to get, although it wasn't so much of a game as that I really didn't want to get hurt. Finally, I agreed to a date and the rest, as they say, is history. Sure, we had our problems. Who didn't? Having three kids one after the other takes its toll on a marriage, but our relationship was strong and we got through.

"What are you smiling at?" Alice asked as we got into my SUV.

"Thinking about Edward," I sighed dreamily.

She grimaced, gagging as she did so.

"Not like that!"

"Oh please, you two are almost as horny as me and Jazz!"

"Only almost?!" I asked.

"Well yeah, no one's as hot as us!"

"You keep telling yourself that, Mary Alice."

"I will, Bella," she said teasingly.

When I pulled up to her house fifteen minutes later, her twelve-year-old daughter, Katie, ran out to greet her. She looked just like her mother with her raven-hued hair but with her father's twinkling blue eyes. Jasper and Alice had two children; Katie and her twin brother, Jasper Junior, or JJ as we all called him. It was a perfect name because he looked just like his father with his wavy blond hair. The pregnancy and birth were extremely tough on Alice's tiny frame and they decided they were perfectly happy with two kids.

Emmett and Rose had just the one child, a fifteen-year-old son, Dale. Rose had problems conceiving, and although they got pregnant twice after Dale's birth, both ended in miscarriage. They decided in the end it wasn't worth the heartache and settled for doting on their son and nieces and nephews.

I waved goodbye to Alice and Katie, telling them I would see them on Monday for the cookout. One thing I loved most about Chicago was being so close to my family and friends. The only exception was Renee and Charlie; now that they had retired, they spent much more time here, but they were Floridians through and through and just couldn't get used to the Chicago climate enough to live here. The kids spent a week there every summer, and often went for spring break too.

I checked the time as I pulled into the garage, noticing I only had a couple of hours to get ready. I grabbed my purchases from the trunk and let myself into the house, unnerved by how quiet it seemed.

"Edward?"

"In here, love," he replied, his voice emanating from the living room.

He was sitting with his arm resting casually over the back of the couch as he watched ESPN. I dropped my purchases to the spare sofa and sank into his arms, pressing my lips to his in what started out as a chaste kiss, but soon turned increasingly heated.

"Mmm, welcome home," he said huskily, smirking at me. "Miss me?"

"Always."

"Buy anything nice this afternoon?" he asked, trailing kisses up my jaw.

"Eventually, yes. It just took a while to find something that's attractive but covers my problem areas."

"You don't have problem areas," he murmured between kisses. "I, on the other hand, have a very _big _problem area, right here." He pressed my hand to the bulge in his jeans and I couldn't bite back my moan.

He caught my lips again and we kissed in a frenzy, until we were interrupted.

"Eww, you guys!" Lexie exclaimed from the doorway, overnight bag on her shoulder. "Couldn't you wait 'til I left?"

"Sorry, Lex," I said, getting up to give her a hug. "How was practice today?"

Her face lit up. "Awesome! I scored twice! I'm so on the team next year."

"That's my girl," Edward said, getting to his feet. "Come on, let's get you to Bree's."

"Cool. Later, Mom!"

"Have a good time, sweetie. Call if you need anything!"

She was already out the door.

"Edward, where are the other two?" I asked.

"Maddie is already at Emily's house, and Aaron left with his band to stay at Peter's. I'll be back in a while, love." He pecked my lips, grabbed his car keys, and soon the house was mine. That was a rarity.

I gathered my shopping bags and took them upstairs, hanging my dress up in my closet. I went to pull out my traditional black bra I wore on dates and paused as I passed my 'goodies' drawer. I'd bought some racy lingerie and toys at a Passion Party where too much liquor had been imbibed and I convinced myself they were a wise choice. It wasn't that the passion in my marriage was dead, not at all, but I'd gotten lazy recently. I pulled out the scanty lingerie and bit my lip.

Did I dare?

* * *

**Thanks for reading! Please review! This story has a banner (link on my profile) and I have one FB group for all my fics called Louise Lewin's Literary Corner (link also on profile).**

**I will be posting again on Sunday! Hopefully see you then :)**


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you for your reviews! And thanks to A Jasper For Me for beta'ing. Lemony sweetness ahead ...**

* * *

**Chapter 2**

**BPOV**

I looked in the mirror one last time, pleased with the results. I knew Edward loved my hair down, so I left it flowing freely down my back with curls at the ends, managing to avoid burning myself with the hot iron.

There was a silly little ritual we had for dates; Edward would always get ready in the guest suite and knock on our bedroom door to collect me, and this time was no exception. I grabbed a little wrap and my clutch, and went to greet my dashing date.

Leaning against the doorframe, that crooked grin on his lips, I saw the college guy who met me for our first date twenty-three years ago. He had some grey hairs at his temples and a few laugh and worry lines around his eyes, but he was still the young man who stole my heart and never gave it back. He was just older, wiser and, in my opinion, infinitely sexier.

He was wearing a white shirt with a couple of buttons undone, navy slacks and suit jacket, and tan leather shoes. His bronze hair had the faintest hint of moisture at the ends, and his emerald eyes still looked at me like I was the only woman in the world.

"You look beautiful," he said, looking me up and down. "Actually, beautiful isn't a good enough word to describe how wonderful you look. Simply divine."

"You look rather delicious yourself."

From behind his back, Edward pulled a bunch of yellow and pink tulips, just like he had on our very first date.

"They're gorgeous," I replied. "Thank you."

"Where's my kiss?" he asked, pouting.

"Why, what type of girl do you take me for?" I feigned shock.

"A sexy one."

"Nice try, Cullen."

He pouted some more, and I just couldn't resist kissing his sweet lips chastely. I went to put the flowers in water, and Edward then led me to his Lexus.

As we drove along, his hand in mine on the console, I noticed he seemed quieter than usual.

"Alright, what's bothering you?" I finally asked.

"Nothing."

"Edward," I warned. The 'mom' voice usually worked on him, too.

"We can talk about it tomorrow, Bella, tonight we're going to have a good time."

"Well if you don't tell me, I can guarantee _you _won't be having a good time anytime soon."

He sighed. "It was just something Lexie told me about our son."

"Our son?"

He raised an eyebrow. "You know, lives in our house, kind of a smartass? The ten pound baby you pushed out of your-"

"Yes, alright," I interrupted, rolling my eyes. "I was there, remember? I know who our son is, but what does Lexie have to do with it?"

"She accidentally let it slip she'd walked in on him … o_ccupied … _with his flavour of the month." He grimaced. "I get that he's a horny teenager, but he's not behaving like the gentleman we tried to raise, and he's setting a bad example for the girls."

I sighed. "We need to have another chat with him, Edward. At the very least, he needs to keep that behaviour out of our home. It might be different if he had a serious girlfriend, but I won't have him parading scantily-clad bimbos through the house."

"I agree. I don't want Maddie or Lexie to think they have to behave like that to get a guy to like them."

"I think they're smarter than that. I know Maddie is."

"What do you mean?" he asked, glancing at me.

I sighed. Edward and I usually shared everything about the kids, but I knew how protective he was over his girls. Still, it felt wrong to keep it from him. "She came to me about going on the Pill last year."

The car almost swerved off the road. It probably wasn't a good idea to mention this while he was driving. Too late now.

"Careful!" I exclaimed.

"Jesus Christ, Bella," he growled. "You put our daughter on the Pill a year ago and you didn't tell me?"

"She didn't want you to know, Edward!"

"Why the fuck does she need it anyway? She's only seventeen!"

"Aaron's having sex at sixteen."

He clucked his tongue. "That's different. He's a guy."

"Double standard."

"It's not, Bella … okay, maybe it is, but it's different for the girls … it's my job to protect them. I know what teenage boys are like. I used to be one, remember? I just don't want them to get hurt … they're my babies."

I sighed. "Look, if it makes you feel better, I don't think Maddie's having sex. She hasn't got a boyfriend that I know of, and she normally involves me in girl talk. She's just being sensible, Edward. That's more than I can say for Aaron. We don't even know if he's being safe." This was why I had grey hairs and worry lines.

"I think we're okay on that front," Edward said, snickering to himself as we pulled up outside an upscale seafood restaurant. "I found an empty jumbo box of condoms in the trash. He's certainly ambitious, I'll give him that."

"That, or just plain horny like his father."

Killing the engine, he leant across the console and licked the shell of my ear. "You won't be complaining later."

My breath hitched and he chuckled. "Come on, Mrs. Cullen, now let me wine and dine you. No more chat about the kids this evening. I can have a conniption tomorrow, tonight's about us."

We wound our way, hand-in-hand, into the restaurant, my husband receiving appreciative, seductive glances from women all around. When we started dating it had bothered me, but now it filled me with a sense of pride. I was the one on his arm and I would be the one he would take to bed tonight and every night.

"What's that smile for?" Edward asked as we sat down at the candlelit table, adjacent to each other.

"Just thinking about how every woman in this room wants you right now," I murmured, "but I'm the one whose name you'll be moaning later."

He groaned lowly. "God Bella, you can't say shit like that when we haven't even started dinner."

Feeling empowered by my sexy underwear, I lifted my foot under the table, sliding it up his calf.

"Bella," he growled.

I giggled. "I'm sorry, I'll behave."

"Oh trust me, baby, later on you will _not_ be behaving, but I'd rather the waiter didn't notice the tent in my pants. He spent rather a long time patting down the napkin and I don't want to lead him on."

I snickered, looking down at the menu. Both of us eventually opted for the oysters to start, even though I doubted we needed the aphrodisiac, and I chose the pan-fried fillet of monkfish with garlic and fennel, while Edward went for the lobster.

The waiter brought us a bottle of champagne my generous husband had ordered, and he raised his glass. "Happy first date anniversary."

"Happy first date anniversary," I replied, clinking my champagne flute against his.

He took a sip, linking his free hand with mine on the table. "Did you ever think on that first date we'd end up here?"

I shook my head. "No, I was too focused on not doing anything embarrassing! You were so calm and confident."

Edward barked out a laugh. "I so wasn't, not really. You want to know a secret?"

"What?"

"I was at your dorm three hours before I was due to pick you up. I was so nervous, I didn't know the first thing about romance, and I wanted to make a good first impression. I couldn't sit around my apartment anymore waiting."

I frowned, confused. "But you were right on time."

"I camped out in my car."

"That is so cute," I cooed. "But I seem to remember romance coming quite easily to you. Not many college guys take their date to see the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and to a fancy restaurant, especially not without expecting something in return."

"But you'd already given me something in return," he said. "You agreed to accompany me and that was all the thanks I needed." It was true, Edward hadn't expected a thing from me. He gave me a chaste kiss at the end of the night, but that was all. We didn't make love for months, he let me set the pace.

I laughed. "You always were a smooth-talker. But you must have done something right, I'm still here, aren't I?"

He brought my hand to his lips. "That you are."

Our glances were smouldering as we drank our champagne, fed each other oysters, laughed and chatted over our main courses. I loved that we still went on dates. It was a chance to be Bella and Edward, the couple, rather than parents or colleagues. It was so easy to lose ourselves in those roles, the ones that required the most responsibility and so often took precedence. Sometimes it was just nice to reconnect and just _be. _

By the time our plates were cleared away, we were both a little tipsy. Edward had decided we would get a cab home as we rarely had the night 'off'. I was really enjoying the hot chocolate fondant and three nut ice-cream we had ordered to share, the way the thick, rich molten chocolate oozed out of the warm sponge and melted further on my tongue. I couldn't help but moan. Judging by the almost onyx-black of Edward eyes as he watched me slip the spoon in my mouth, he was enjoying it, too.

"You're killing me, Bella," he murmured huskily, his mouth right next to my ear. "I'm envious of a utensil right now! I wish it was my hard cock in your hot little mouth making you moan like that."

Panties, meet floor. Suddenly I was very pleased I had decided to go through with my plan for tonight. The champagne helped, too. "Edward?"

"Hmm?"

"I think I've had enough of this dessert."

"Thank fuck," he said, chuckling throatily.

.

**EPOV**

I was harder than steel watching Bella eat that fucking chocolate fondant. The way her pink little tongue darted out and those pouty lips wrapped around the spoon … yeah, I needed to get her home ... right the fuck now.

The ride was filled with little kisses, intimate little touches and caresses that did more talking than words ever could. When the taxi dropped us off, we practically ran inside. All the lights were out so I knew we were alone, and I was thankful. Don't get me wrong, I love my kids, but it was nice not to have to keep the noise down for once. Screw nice, it was fucking awesome.

Our kisses were feverish as she led me towards the stairs, but she suddenly put her hand on my chest, stopping me. I frowned in confusion. I had gotten pretty good at reading the signs over the past twenty-three years and I knew when Bella was in the mood.

"Can you give me ten minutes?" she asked, nibbling my earlobe. "I've got a surprise for you."

_Score one for Cullen!_

I groaned in pleasure and anticipation. "I'll be counting."

She giggled and ran upstairs. I checked my phone to make sure the kids hadn't rang, not that I expected them to. We always made sure there was someone available to go pick them up on our date nights so we could just relax and indulge if we wanted to.

After what felt like the longest ten minutes of my life, I took the stairs practically two at a time. Our bedroom door was open, and I could hear a faint buzzing sound. What the hell was it?

I took the last few steps inside and what I saw almost brought me to my knees. My jaw dropped, and I'm pretty sure I was salivating.

Propped up against our throw pillows, legs spread, Bella was dressed in the most sinful lingerie I'd ever seen, and I'd seen her in a lot. The tiny black lace and purple satin chemise hugged her every curve, showing her spectacular breasts off to perfection. At the bottom were garter straps hooked onto thigh high stockings, but what made me nearly jizz myself was the sight of her pussy. That's right, no panties ... just her beautiful, pink, _wet_ pussy, which she was teasing with a little vibrator.

She patted the bed beside her. "Room for one more."

"Holy fucking hell," I growled, practically ripping my shirt off, and shedding my shoes, socks, pants and boxer-briefs just as fast. My hard dick sprang free and I couldn't help but stroke it a few times.

I climbed on the bed beside my sexy-as-fuck wife, capturing her lips in a frenzied kiss. Tongues dancing … teeth nipping … lips sucking. She tasted so fucking sweet, like cinnamon and chocolate. When we had to break apart for air, I dropped my lips to her neck, listening to the little moans and whimpers coming from her.

"Does that little toy feel good on your clit, Bella?" I asked breathlessly. "Do you like teasing yourself?"

"It feels so fucking good," she moaned.

"Yeah?" I asked, pushing the straps of her chemise down to give me access to her breasts. "Do you like to play with yourself, baby? Do you make yourself come when I'm not here, like a naughty girl?" I began my assault on her nipples, flicking them with my tongue and nibbling on them alternately.

"Yes," she panted. "Sometimes when you go to work early, I lie in bed with your scent all around me and play with my nipples and my pussy."

"_Shit_," I cursed. This woman was trying to kill me. I unsnapped the garters and lifted the chemise over her head. As hot as it was … it had to go. The stockings, though … they could stay.

I kissed my way down her stomach, making sure to pay extra attention to it. On bad days, Bella thought it was a little flabby since she had the kids and said it was scarred by stretch marks. I just couldn't see it. She was perfect in my eyes.

When I reached her pussy, she was absolutely dripping. She switched off her toy as I placed butterfly kisses on her inner thighs. "What do you think about when you play with yourself, Bella?" I asked before dipping my tongue into her sweet sex, fucking her with it.

"God, Edward!" she cried.

"Come on, Bella, you're not getting your reward until you tell me what you think about."

I thrust my tongue in and out of her again, using my thumb on her clit.

"Shit," she panted. "I think … I think about this. Watching your head disappear between my thighs, tugging your hair as you lick me out."

I hummed against her, moving my tongue to flick her clit and thrusting two fingers inside of her.

"_Fuck, _Edward!_ … _I think about how you taste … how much I love taking your cock in my mouth."

I groaned. Jesus Christ.

Bella's moans were increasing as I sucked her clit into my mouth. I could feel her pussy fluttering around my fingers; she was on the edge.

"I think about how you feel when you're inside me … so thick and hard, hitting me so fucking deep … Oh God, Edward … _Yes_!"

She screamed out as she came, her nectar flowing onto my tongue as I lapped it up. She was the sweetest ambrosia; I could live off her alone.

When she stopped trembling, I crawled back up her body, kissing her fiercely. I loved it when she tasted herself on my lips. God, I needed to be inside her.

"Bella, this is going to be hard and fast," I panted, lining myself up with entrance.

"Yes, fuck me, Edward," she pleaded.

I slammed into her, giving her a second, my eyes rolling back in my head. I didn't think it was possible, but every time was better than the last. I began to piston into her, feeling every inch of my cock being squeezed by her slick, warm walls. _So goddamn addictive._

"Harder," she cried, and I complied only too willingly, as she wrapped her legs around my waist.

"God, Bella!" I grunted. "So fucking good!"

I continued to pound into her as I watched her play with her breasts. I rolled my hips as she thrust back at me, the slapping of skin reverberating around the room. Changing the angle slightly, I hit her sweet spot, making her scream and dig her heels into my ass, driving me on.

"Oh shit!" she cried. "Right there!"

"Yeah?" I asked, sweat beading on my brow. "That the spot, baby?" I punctuated my question with a particularly deep thrust.

"Edward! Shit, I'm … I'm-"

"That's it, baby, give it to me," I panted.

Her cries broke free and she clenched down upon my length, and I couldn't hold out.

"Fuck, Bella!" My pace became erratic as I felt the wave of ecstasy rush over me, my cock twitching as I spilled my load inside her. I collapsed on top of her, rolling to the side to keep from crushing her. I brought her to me, her long tresses ticking my chest. "Jesus fucking Christ, woman," I said shakily. "I don't know what got into you tonight, but please, long may it continue."

"I think you know what got into me," she joked.

I laughed at her lame joke, kissing her hair. "I love you, Bell."

"I love you, too," she said, looking up at me. "Don't think I'm done with you for the night, mister. That is, if you can still keep up."

"Oh, Bella," I chuckled darkly, rolling her over. "You really shouldn't have said that …"

* * *

**Please review! I really appreciate them and they're great encouragement. Would love to see you at Louise Lewin's Literary Corner FB group- link on profile!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Thank you for your response to this fic! And thanks to my beta, A Jasper For Me.**

* * *

**Chapter 3**

**BPOV**

My muscles were deliciously sore when I woke up the next day. Edward's arm was thrown haphazardly across my waist as he snored lightly beside me. His face was so relaxed, and when I leant in to kiss his forehead, a smile crossed his lips. I managed to sneak out from his grip, needing the bathroom. I looked in the mirror as I brushed my teeth, I looked just as I expected ... freshly fucked. We hadn't had a night so wild in months, if not longer. For once, I wasn't too preoccupied with the fine lines and crows' feet as I stared at the woman before me. Normally, every time I looked in the mirror, I saw myself becoming more and more like my mother. Every woman knows what a nightmare that is. Today, though, I looked more like my younger self.

I slipped a robe on, leaving Edward slumbering away in bed, and went downstairs with a spring in my step. Who knew a night of fuck-hot sex would be so rejuvenating?

I pulled out all the ingredients for pancakes and bacon, Edward's favourite, and flicked on the coffee maker. We had a couple of hours before the kids came back and reality made its return, and I was determined to enjoy it. I hummed as I cooked, and just as I was about to set everything on a tray, I heard my husband's footsteps approach.

"Mmm, that smells good, baby," he said sleepily, running a hand over his face. "I didn't like waking up without you, but since you made me pancakes, I think I can forgive you." He cradled my face in his hands, kissing me tenderly, his stubble brushing my chin.

"Good morning," I whispered.

"Indeed it is," he said, pouring himself a cup of coffee.

We were both ravenous from our exploits the night before, so we ate mostly in comfortable silence, our free hands joined on the table as we shared loving glances.

"That was amazing, baby. I knew I married you for a reason," Edward joked as he set down his knife and fork.

I laughed. "I think last night you said you married me for a very different reason."

He leant in to stroke my cheek. "Each of them is valid, but they're all just extras. I married you because I can't live without you, simple as that."

I kissed him softly before getting up to put the plates in the dishwasher. "You are far too sweet for this time in the morning."

He smirked. "And you love me for it."

"I do. How about I show you just how much I love you … in the shower?"

His eyes lit up like a kid at Christmas, and we raced up the stairs, laughing all the way.

.

.

Edward was upstairs in the study working on a new project we'd received last week, while I was busy making the marinade for tomorrow's chicken kebabs. I was dancing around the kitchen, still on a post-coital high, when the front door opened and Aaron's deep voice followed.

"I'm home," he called to anyone, to no one, his feet already heading for the stairs.

"In the kitchen!" I yelled back.

Soon his sneaker-clad feet came shuffling into the room. I hated the way kids didn't pick their feet up properly these days. Was it really that much effort? Christ, I sound like my mother.

"Hey sweetie," I said, kissing his cheek. "Did you have a good time?"

He shrugged, non-committal. "Yeah, I guess. We wrote another song, the guys want to come round to have a jam session later, is that okay?"

"Sure, you know they're always welcome." Luckily, we had a sound-proofed rec room in the basement that served as Aaron's music room. The girls also had their own rec room, perfect for girly sleepovers which wouldn't be disturbed by the guitars and drums. They were surprisingly good from the snippets I had caught, but the acoustic songs I heard Aaron playing in his room showed just how talented he was.

"Thanks. I'm gonna go take a shower," he said, walking from the room.

"Okay, honey. Oh, your father and I want a word with you after dinner."

"I didn't do it," he called back, practically running now.

I raised an eyebrow. "Now I'm curious as to what you _didn't _do!"

"I plead the fifth!" he shouted from the stairs. "I'm an American citizen! I have rights!"

I snickered to myself. He'd got my cheek and Edward's looks and charm, meaning he could be a real smartass and get away with it. I suspected Aaron used the Cullen genes to full advantage at school, especially with the teachers and girls alike. I knew from the moment he was put on my chest he was going to have women falling at his feet. Hell, he did even when he was a baby, with women always stopping to tell me how adorable he was. I had to agree, he was the cutest little boy I'd ever seen, with his tuft of chestnut hair, piercing green eyes, chubby cheeks and even that crooked grin of his father's.

For some reason, I almost found my son growing up to be harder than the girls. Maybe it was because he had been a real momma's boy as a child, or maybe because I didn't understand teenage guys. Girls I could deal with; I had experience to share. Whereas with Aaron, his teenage years took my baby boy from me and I didn't know how to bridge the gap.

I had just finished up in the kitchen and put the chicken in the fridge to marinate when my girls came in together, laughing. It always made my heart soar when they got along. Trust me, it wasn't always that way, sometimes I felt like a Middle East negotiator.

They both came to give me a hug, and I squeezed them extra tight.

"Did you miss us?" Lexie asked.

"Why would I do that? The house was quiet for once!"

"Did Dad take you somewhere nice?" Madison asked as she fetched a bottle of diet Pepsi from the fridge.

"We went to Catch 35," I said, blushing slightly at the memory of our food foreplay.

"Aaaand that's enough information," she replied.

I laughed. "So what did you two get up to?"

"You know, the usual, manicures, gossip, movies," Madison said, shrugging.

"Lex?"

She took a seat at the table. "We played on the Wii mostly, then we watched _Bend It Like Beckham_."

"Again?" Madison asked. "It's lame and you've seen it like a billion times."

"Just like you've watched _The Notebook _a billion times and cried every single one!"

"That movie is a timeless classic! You have to be heartless not to cry!"

"Girls!" I warned. "Just accept you have different tastes."

That seemed to douse the fire that was threatening to ignite, and we got to talking about the cookout the next day. Luckily, there were no other disagreements as the girls helped me with dinner, making chicken Alfredo, salad and homemade garlic bread. That was one thing I insisted upon as they were growing up; that they learnt to cook. Even Aaron could do the basics. Edward and I wanted to make sure our beloved hellions had life skills for when they were unleashed upon the real world.

The conversation moved to school; they only had a couple more weeks before summer vacation, and they couldn't wait. Madison grumbled over a Spanish test she had on Tuesday. She wasn't the most academic student. I'm not saying she wasn't smart, but she was more artistic than studious. She had a real eye for design, though she applied that to beauty and fashion rather than architecture and décor like Edward and me. She was the ultimate girly girl, but underneath that façade was a young woman of substance, a woman who knew her own mind. She was bubbly, driven, insightful, and although she and her siblings could fight like cats and dogs, Maddie loved them with unparalleled fierceness and would stop at nothing to protect them.

When she turned seventeen in January, she asked if she could get a part-time job in a local dressmaker's boutique. We agreed on the condition that she kept up her grades up. So far, she was succeeding and she loved the job. She was already looking at fashion tech colleges all over the country and it really hit home that in just a few years, Edward and I would be moving into a new chapter in our lives.

Lexie, on the other hand, excelled in every subject at school. She was the all-around golden girl, the popular class president who had a 4.0 GPA, played on the soccer team and sat on the yearbook committee. She inherited my passion for books and my teenage preference for sneakers and jeans. My baby girl was liked by all. Her kindness, compassion and humour made it impossible to dislike her. With her Aunt Alice's vivacity, she fit in everywhere, be it talking with the 'geeks' about the latest computer game or the 'cool' kids about the latest music idol.

"Edward!" I yelled as the girls finished setting the table. "Aaron! Dinner!"

"Jeez, Mom, buy a gong, it will deafen me less," Lexie grumbled, rubbing her ear.

"I might just do that," I replied teasingly. "It would certainly help get you guys up in the mornings." I laughed, serving up as the boys came rushing down the stairs. Sunday dinner was family time; what with work, Lexie's soccer, Aaron's band, and Maddie's job, we rarely ate all together on a weekday.

Everyone tucked in while Edward asked how the kids' evenings had been the night before, listening to their tales. Aaron answered with his mouth full as he shovelled food down; that boy could eat.

"You're a pig," Madison said, narrowing her eyes.

"Aaron, you're too old to be told not to talk with your mouth full," I reprimanded.

"Don't tell me then."

"Don't talk back to your mother," Edward said sternly.

"He's just like Uncle Em," Lexie snickered.

My son made a point of swallowing exaggeratedly. "I appreciate that compliment."

"Ugh!" Maddie groaned. "Guys!"

I saw Edward grin at her condemnation of the male sex.

"Just 'cause no boys like you," Aaron said, goading her.

"One: shut up." She counted off on her fingers. "Two: you know nothing about who likes me. Three: if all boys are like you, I wouldn't _want_ them to like me. And what was four … oh, yeah: shut up!"

He rolled his eyes. "Real mature."

"Ass."

"Kids!" I warned. "Lexie, tell us about your soccer."

She launched into a detailed spiel about the tactics they went over in practice yesterday, losing me, but Edward was enthralled. Even Aaron was interested. He may wind them up something awful, but he loved his sisters to pieces.

When we finished dessert of lemon cheesecake, the kids cleared the table. We made sure they contributed around the house, taking it in turns to wash up, and they were each in charge of keeping their own bedroom at least habitable. I still did their laundry, but I refused to go in and pick it up. If they wanted clean clothes, they could at least put them in the linen basket.

From where we sat in the living room, Edward and I heard the three of them trudge out of the kitchen. His eyes met mine. "Ready?"

I nodded.

"Aaron!"

**.**

**EPOV**

Is there any good way to try to implore your son to keep his dick in his pants? It's awkward for everyone involved. But Aaron's well-being took precedence over any sense of embarrassment, so I would deal.

He stalked into the room, arms across his chest.

"Yes?"

Bella smiled. "Sit down, honey."

He took a seat on the adjacent sofa, his face a mixture of trepidation and confusion.

I cleared my throat. "Your mom and I are concerned about you," I said, making his eyebrows furrow. "More specifically, we are worried about your … _exploits _… with certain young women."

A slight blush appeared on his cheeks. "Lexie told you, didn't she?"

I nodded. "Yes, she did-"

He huffed. "The little-"

I held up my hand. "She didn't mean to. You should have known your sister can't keep a secret. What's more important is she shouldn't have to."

Bella nodded as our son looked down at his feet. "She's fourteen, Aaron. What kind of impression are you giving her about the opposite sex? We won't have promiscuity in our home."

He looked like he wanted the ground to swallow him whole. He looked at me pleadingly, and I knew he wanted to talk without Bella hearing. No teenage guy wants to talk about sex with their mom.

"Why don't I talk to Aaron alone?" I suggested. He shot me a grateful glance. Bella looked torn, but nodded, kissing my cheek and ruffling Aaron's hair. She was telling him she loved him without making him even more uncomfortable.

When she was out the room, he sank back on the sofa, rubbing his face in his hands. "Shit, Dad, is this really necessary?"

"Yes, son, it is. Believe me, I don't want this conversation any more than you do, but it's my job."

"I don't get what the problem is, Dad," he muttered. "It's just sex."

I shook my head. "To you it's just sex, Aaron. Generally, we men find it easier to have meaningless sex, but it's different for girls, especially teenage girls. They're at a very tender age. Have you ever thought about who you might be hurting?"

"I don't promise them anything. They know what they're getting into."

I sighed, I used to think the same thing at his age. "Girls' minds work differently than ours. You swoop in and charm them, and they may think just sex is enough, but sex and emotions often go hand-in-hand for them. They shouldn't have to settle for just a physical relationship. How would you feel if some guy slept with one of your sisters then discarded them like that?"

His face grew murderous. "I'd kill the bastard. Maddie and Lex are worth more than that."

I raised an eyebrow. "You and me both. But these girls you sleep with, they're someone's sister, someone's daughter. They're not sex objects."

"So you want me to become a monk?"

I laughed. "No, I'm not saying that. Why not try and get to know a girl?"

He shrugged.

"Look, I'm going to tell you something about myself," I continued. "I used to be just like you. The womanising player, not caring who I was hurting, screwing everything in a skirt. I know what it's like to have girls falling over you and how hard it is to resist."

He snickered. "Really, old man?"

"Hey, less of the old," I warned jokingly. "Where do you think you got your game from?"

"What changed?"

"I met your mother," I said, smiling. "But by then I had a reputation to overcome. It took me six months of hard work before she would agree to a date."

Aaron looked surprised. "Do you ever regret acting … like that?"

I nodded. "Of course I do. I feel bad for the hurt I may have unintentionally caused. Those girls may not have been my soul mate, but they all deserved to be treated right."

"Okay, getting a little deep for me, Dad."

I chuckled. "Just try to treat every woman you meet with the respect you would show to your mom and sisters, okay, kid? And please continue to use protection, for God's sake."

"I get it," he mumbled. "Can I go now?"

"Sure."

I've never seen anyone move so fast in my life. As soon as he was out of the room, I blew out a huge breath. _Kids._

"Was it bad?" Bella asked when she came back in, nestling into my side.

"Well, it wasn't on my list of top ten things to do," I replied, burying my nose in her hair. "But I think I might have gotten through to him."

"Good. Now tell me, what is on your list of top ten things to do?"

I skimmed my hand across the swell of her breast. "Anything that involves me and you … naked."

She laughed. "You want to join a nudist colony?"

"Fuck no," I growled. "Your naked body is for my eyes only."

"You don't need to worry, I wouldn't share you either. You're mine, Cullen."

Damn right I was, and I wouldn't want it any other way.

* * *

**Fluff and daily struggles in this chap! What did you think?**


	4. Chapter 4

**Sorry I've disappeared recently... I needed the break from writing, I was burning out. Back now and fresh this week! Enjoy!**

**Beta'd by A Jasper For Me. Thank you everyone for your wonderful reviews!**

**Warning: Lemon ahead!**

* * *

**Chapter 4**

**EPOV**

What a fucking glorious day for a cookout. Our huge yard tables were extended to their full length under the shelter of the veranda, one set up for the food and one set to eat at. I'd lit the charcoals, but the grill would take a while to get hot enough. Most people had gas-fuelled grills now, but I just couldn't get on with them. You couldn't beat that smoky smell or taste of a real barbecue. I pulled a few beers out of the fridge, popping the tops off and took them outside.

"Here you go, guys," I said, handing one each to my father and Emmett and taking a sip of mine. You really couldn't beat a frosty beer on a hot day.

"So, Dad, how's retirement treating you?" Emmett asked.

He groaned. "I'm bored out of my mind! Your mom says I need a hobby. Work has been my passion for so long, I don't know what else to fill my time with. There's only so much yard work I can do, and though she won't say it, I'm getting on your mom's nerves. I can't wait 'til we go on vacation just for a change of scenery."

"You should take up photography again," I suggested. "You were really good from what I remember. Plus, there's all the photo editing software now to keep you busy."

"You might be onto something there, Edward," he mused. "Maybe I'll invest in a new camera, you know, one of those top of the range high-tech ones."

"Could give you a new lease on life, old man," Em joked.

"Hey, I don't need a new lease on life. Just ask your mother." He winked, making me and my brother shudder.

"That's just … wrong," I muttered.

Dad shrugged. "Where do you think you two horndogs got it from?"

Em stuck his fingers in his ears; I was tempted to do the same.

Out the corner of my eye, I saw my niece Katie come around the side of the house followed by JJ and their parents, arms laden with dishes.

"We're here!" my sister called.

Everyone shouted their greetings as Katie came barrelling towards my father. "Grandpa!" she exclaimed, letting him twirl her around. With her tiny frame, she looked more like a nine-year-old and was light as a feather.

"Aw, no greeting for your uncles?" Emmett asked, mussing her long, ebony hair.

She rolled her eyes, putting her hand on her hip. "I'll greet Uncle Edward, but not you now that you've ruined my hair."

I laughed; she was so like our sister. "Hey, kiddo," I said, hugging her. "Madison's up in her room if you want to go fetch her?"

She nodded eagerly and skipped off inside. Maddie was her idol; she thought she was absolutely the coolest person on the planet. Luckily, my eldest daughter didn't mind socialising with her cousin; she babysat for her and JJ if she was needed. Even though Alice kept her daughter fashionably dressed, Maddie would always offer her hand-me-down accessories, which Katie accepted like treasures. When Madison was in a really generous mood, she would take her shopping or to the movies.

Soon everyone was outside enjoying the weather. Dale and Lexie were kicking a ball around, both avid soccer fans, and JJ had wandered over to Aaron, who had his acoustic guitar out under a big oak tree. My son had recently started giving his cousin lessons. His generosity surprised me, which kind of made me feel shitty. He wasn't a bad kid, so I don't know why I expected any less of him.

Maddie, with her huge designer sunglasses covering her eyes, was poring over magazines with Katie; probably Vogue or some shit like that. The women all sat around on the sun loungers, giggling loudly as they sipped fruity cocktails, while we men got ready to grill. It was the strangest phenomenon; we four could cook on an open flame without a problem, yet put us in a kitchen with appliances to help you and we burnt toast.

"Bring on the meat!" Jasper said, rubbing his hands together.

Emmett's eyes gleamed wickedly. "That sounds like my Ro-"

"I swear to God, Emmett Dale Cullen," Rose yelled, "finish that sentence and they'll be feeding you through a straw! Don't make me come over there!"

"Sorry, Rosie! I didn't mean it!"

I snickered, muttering 'whipped' under my breath.

"What're you laughing at?" Em asked. "You're just as whipped as I am. Bella walks around with your balls in her purse."

I shrugged. "Wouldn't have it any other way."

We drank a few more beers as we grilled the burgers, sausages, ribs and kebabs, laughing over the stupid shit we've gotten in trouble for over the years. It was a good job we had good women to keep us in line. It took a while to finish grilling because of the sheer quantity to be cooked, but finally we were done. "Food's ready, guys!" I called, wiping the sweat from my brow.

"Here you go, baby," Bella said, pressing a cold beer on my forehead. She looked so fucking hot today in a short, emerald-green sundress, her hair swept back off her face in the heat. We shared a quick kiss while everyone was occupied, and yeah, I had a little grope. Fucking sue me. As my hands reached under her dress to feel her ass, I was shocked to find her wearing what felt like lace cheekies. She'd been dressed before me this morning and I instantly wondered what colour they were. I would definitely be finding out tonight.

Eventually she slapped my hands away, dragging me along to help ourselves to the spread of food. There was garden salad, pasta salad, potato salad, roasted vegetables, couscous, corn-on-the-cob … you name it, it was there. Some would say it was excessive, but come on, we had Emmett there, and his son ate just like him. Poor Rose, their food bill must be astronomical.

When we had all finished our food, I took a look around, feeling a sense of contentment rush over me. Bella was in conversation with Mom and Dad about her latest projects, Emmett was talking soccer with Lexie and Dale, JJ was listening to Rose talk about refurbishing cars, Aaron was updating Jasper on his band's progress, and Maddie, Alice and Katie were talking designers. It figured I would end up nearest the fashionistas.

Bella caught my eye from across the table and winked at me. I mouthed 'I love you' to her and winked back.

"You two are sickening," Maddie said.

I laughed, remembering what it was like to be seventeen and have two parents still hopelessly in love.

"I think it's sweet," Katie said. I always knew I liked that kid.

I nodded triumphantly. "See, Maddie? Sweet. Not sickening; sweet."

"Talking of sweet," Alice said, "I think you guys will like what I brought for dessert."

"Did you make it?" I asked.

"No, I got it from _Sweet Nothings_."

"Then we'll like it." It was no secret Alice was not a chef; Jasper cooked in their household. If he was ill, Katie and JJ lived on pizza and pop-tarts. Alice tried to cook once and they almost had to call the fire department. That had been her first and last foray into the kitchen.

She stuck her tongue out at me like we were still children, in response to my comment.

"Mary Alice, I saw that!" Mom said.

"Sorry, Mom," Alice said, getting up to kiss her cheek.

I snickered. "Kiss-ass."

"Edward Anthony, I heard that!"

"Sorry, Mom." Seriously, shouldn't she be going deaf by now? She was sharp as a razor. It must be a part of the mom radar or the female innate bullshit detector.

"Why don't we go play soccer?" Lexie suggested. "Five-a-side?"

We were all too stuffed to eat dessert right then, all except Emmett and Dale, who always had room, so her suggestion was met with much agreement, followed by bickering over teams. In the end they had nine willing players.

"Dad, will you play?" Lex asked me.

"I think I'm going to pass this time," I said. "I worked up a real sweat doing all that grilling so I'm going to jump in the pool."

She wrinkled her nose, turning to my sister. "Aunt Alice?"

"No can do, Lexie; I'm like your mom when it comes to sports ... allergic."

"Nana?"

"I've got to help in the kitchen, honey," my mom replied.

Finally, she turned to her sister. "Oh, Madison …" she sang sweetly.

"Nope," my eldest said vehemently, folding her arms across her chest. "No way."

"Please? We need you to make up the teams!"

Everyone was now grinning at Maddie, chanting her name. Finally my little drama queen threw up her arms in defeat. "Fine! But you can't yell at me for being terrible," she said, but she was smiling.

It was my dad, Jasper, Dale, Madison and Katie on one team ... the 'Cullen-Whitlock Wonders', as they called themselves, and JJ, Aaron, Lexie, Emmett and Rose on the other ... the 'Memorial Day Monkeys'. They were pretty well matched.

"Right," Bella said, getting up from the table. "I'm going to start washing some dishes."

"You will do no such thing," my mom said. "You've been kind enough to play hostess, so Alice and I will clear the table. You relax."

Bella knew better than to argue with Esme Cullen, so she came over and wrapped her arms around me. I pecked her lips. "How do you fancy a swim, Mrs. Cullen?"

.

.

**BPOV**

I'd decided to bite the bullet and just wear my favourite blue bikini. I didn't have a bad body and I wasn't having a 'fat day'. Anyway, it wasn't like I was going to be walking around in it ... I had my cover-up and shorts. Edward had already been wearing boardshorts, so he was in the pool when I came down from changing, his hair dark from the water saturating it, and his strong shoulders glistening with droplets in the sunlight. There were squeals and shouts coming from the makeshift pitch, so I knew no one was watching me but Edward as I stepped out of my shorts and removed my kaftan.

I sat down, dangling my legs in the pool as my sexy-ass husband swam over to me, resting his arms on the edge and looking up at me. His beautiful eyes were dark as he stared appreciatively at my breasts. Okay, he was ogling them. Plain, simply, unashamedly eye-fucking them.

"Jesus," he hissed. "It's a good job I'm in the pool already, baby. I'd rather you were in it with me, though." He suddenly grabbed me, pulling me into the water beside him, making me shriek in surprise.

I sank under the water, deciding I might as well go the full hog. When I came back up, I splashed him before launching myself into breast stroke for a few lengths while Edward did his front crawl. After about fifteen minutes we stopped, and I hooked my arms around Edward's neck, wrapping my legs around his waist under the water.

"So not helping my problem, Bella," he groaned.

I laughed, resting my head on his shoulder. We bobbed there for a while, talking and laughing as we watched the group play soccer. Emmett's celebration when he scored a goal was the funniest ... it looked like he was doing the Macarena. Knowing him, he probably was. When I was starting to wrinkle like a prune, I got out of the water and went to change. Alice and Esme had done a wonderful job with the dishes, putting leftovers in Tupperware and my kitchen looked almost normal again. We fetched the desserts from the fridge and took them outside, where everyone was now downing water, arguing over which team had won. According to Lexie, there was a controversial, late offside goal, and it was finally called a draw.

I had to hand it Alice; she had ordered well from the bakery. There was strawberry pavlova, peach and almond tart, and white chocolate and pistachio profiteroles, all served with thick whipped cream. Madison opted for some fresh fruit instead, saying the desserts would go straight to her hips. I remembered thinking the same when I was her age.

"This will go straight to _my _hips," I whispered to Edward as I ate my profiteroles.

He rested his hand on my thigh, squeezing. "I love your hips, baby," he murmured huskily. "So sexy."

I watched his eyes grow hooded as cream from the pastry burst onto my tongue. The kids had taken their dessert over to the other deck, so there were just the eight of us left. I looked around but everyone was busy in their own conversations, so I pressed my hand against Edward's crotch, feeling him ready and hard, watching his eyes darken. I don't know what came over me, but I suddenly stood up and leant down to whisper in his ear. "Meet me in the downstairs bathroom in five minutes."

I think his eyes bugged out of his head; he did not expect that. Although our sex life had always been passionate and pleasurable, life often got in the way. But Saturday night seemed to have ignited something in both of us. It was wild and naughty to do this while we had guests, and I wanted it desperately.

Exactly five minutes later, there was a knock at the bathroom door. As soon as I opened it, I yanked Edward in by his t-shirt, kissing him fiercely and sliding the lock across.

"God, Bella," he moaned as I kissed and lightly sucked his neck, pushing down his shorts. "You have no idea how much you've turned me on today … those fucking panties, the bikini ... _Christ ... _and the dessert …"

"Mmm, that dessert was yummy, Edward," I purred, "but I'm craving another type of cream right now."

I dropped to my knees and pulled his boxers down, freeing his erect cock. His eyes were hooded and burning with desire as I took him in hand, licking up the pre-cum that had beaded on the head.

"_Holy fuck!" _he hissed as I ran my tongue up and down his velvety smooth shaft. I began to lick and suck his balls, stroking him as I did, then still using my tongue as I took him in until he hit the back of my throat. I was blessed with no gag reflex, which made this infinitely easier.

Edward threw a hand back against the door as I began to deep-throat him, unable to keep his eyes off me. I looked up at him through my lashes, just as he liked, placing his hands in my hair. He began thrusting and rolling his hips, all the while cursing under his breath.

"Shit … _ungh_ … so fucking hot!"

I moaned around him. "Yeah, you like this, baby girl?" he asked, panting. "You like me fucking your hot little mouth … feeling my hard cock in your throat?"

I moaned even louder, using one hand to roll his balls and the other to stroke his perineum as I continued to suck him. I loved his dirty mouth.

He threw his head back. "Fuck … yeah, babe … just like that! Oh God, yeah!"

I knew he was close by the roughness of his voice and the way he swelled in my mouth.

"Bella, if you … don't stop … I'm … going to … come," he panted.

I wanted him to come. I enjoyed giving him head, and we didn't have time for the messiness of full sex right now. Knowing exactly what to do to push him over the edge, I sucked harder, scraping my teeth along his length at the same time as I slid the tip of my pinky in his ass.

"_Motherfuck!" _he hissed as he exploded, spurting into my mouth. I swallowed him down greedily. When he finally came down from his orgasm, he rested his head against the door, breathing heavily. I licked him clean, and got to my feet as he pulled up his boxers and shorts.

"Christ, Bella," he said. "I think I actually saw heaven."

I giggled. "Come on, we better get back or we'll be missed."

I washed my hands and splashed cold water up my arms before slipping out the door with Edward right behind me. Unfortunately, we weren't quite as stealthy as we'd hoped.

"Well, well, well," Emmett said, his arms folded across his chest. He was smirking. "What do we have here?"

"Jesus, Em," Edward replied. "What the hell are you doing? Have you been listening the entire fucking time? Do you know how perverted that is?"

"Hey don't blame me, the _last _thing I wanted to do was hear my little brother getting off. It's not my fault I needed to take a leak, and anyway ... your live audio porn show was pretty much over. Just be grateful it wasn't one of the kids."

I cringed into Edward's side. Emmett would rib us about this for years.

"Don't worry, bro," he said, "your secret is safe with me. Oh, and by the way, your fly is undone."

Edward looked down.

"Haha, made you look," Emmett sang.

"Don't you need the bathroom?"

"Yeah right, like I'm going to go in there. I'll go upstairs." He walked off singing _'Sexual Healing' _under his breath.

Edward and I looked at each other, and did the only thing we could do: laugh.

* * *

**Please review :)**


	5. Chapter 5

**A big thank you to all reviewers! And to A Jasper for Me for beta'ing.**

* * *

**Chapter 5**

**BPOV**

_"Good morning, you're listening to Volturi FM. Welcome back to Mark and Didi's breakfast show! The time is six o'clock and it's set to be another scorching hot day in the state of Illinois. The headlines this morning …"_

I slammed my hand down on the button of our radio alarm, grumbling to myself. I know it was their job, but did they have to sound so damn perky?

It was a week since the cookout, and my good mood had seriously disintegrated. Work was kicking my ass, and Chicago was in the midst of a heat-wave that showed no signs of abating. While this wasn't usually something I complained about, soaring summer temperatures were a lot less fun when the air conditioning breaks on a Saturday evening. Edward had tried to get someone in using his contacts, but no one could come until today, and as Carlisle and Esme were out of town, it meant one of us had to work from home. Normally it would be me, but I had an important meeting with a client by the name of Victoria Trackwell-Blythe, the thrice-married, high-society wife of billionaire James Trackwell. _Cullen, Inc_. was remodelling their newly-purchased 1890s mansion and we were finally working on ideas for each room. Edward's design for the remodel kept the period features, but brought it up to date while keeping it elegant and classic.

Here's the thing: we are hired for a reason. We know our niche, we know our facts, and we get to know the clients so we can deliver something that reflects them but works with the house and design Edward comes up with. It's our job to stop them from making horrendous errors of judgment, subtly steering them away from the gaudy or generic, and towards something that takes their breath away. Normally, our clients are very amenable. The same cannot always be said for Mrs Trackwell-Blythe, however. She could be insincere, rude, patronising and could often only be dissuaded from something by pandering to her ego. More than once I'd had to bite my tongue to stop myself from telling her where to go.

I sighed, peeling back the thin cotton sheet stuck to my body like a second skin, and made my way to the bathroom for a cool shower. _Heaven_. I dressed in a smart-casual white maxi-dress and clipped my bangs off to the side, twisting my hair into a bun. Downstairs, I went about my morning routine automatically, stopping myself when I switched the coffee maker on. Too damn hot. I'd have to stop at Starbucks for an iced hazelnut latte. I got the kids' lunches out of the fridge and knocked back some cold orange juice.

The kids normally got up in three waves; first was Madison at 6:30 AM, usually cursing her father for giving her such unruly hair that required deep conditioning every morning. Lexie was next at 7 AM; she generally just took less time to get ready. And finally, Aaron would get up, often fifteen minutes before he should leave the house. I was fully expecting to have to wake Maddie as I did every day, so I was surprised to hear the shower running from upstairs already.

I went to fetch my paint sample folder and sketch pad from my study, along with the Trackwell file, putting them inside my laptop bag before going to wake my husband.

"I know you're awake, faker," I teased, leaning down to kiss his lips.

He laughed against my mouth, trying to pull me down beside him.

"No time for fooling around, mister," I warned. "I've already had one shower this morning and Victoria will have my head on a platter if I keep her waiting."

He groaned. "Baby, why did you have to go and mention the shower? Now I'm going to need one … a cold one."

"Yeah, well, you'll need a cold one, anyway," I grumbled. "I swear to God, Edward, if they don't fix that air-con today, I may not be responsible for my actions."

"I love when you get mad, baby," he chuckled. "As long as it's not at me."

"Well, it _will _be you if you make me late."

I kissed him once more before going to knock on Lexie's door to see if she was up. She may have been a real firecracker, but she was a devil to wake up. I used to be the same in my teens, always pleading for 'just ten more minutes'. I opened the door when I got no reply, laughing quietly at the sight of her sprawled across the bed in her old Chicago Fire soccer shirt, covers kicked to her feet.

"Wake up, sleeping beauty," I said, jostling her shoulder.

"Don't wanna," she mumbled.

I was dropping her off on my way and I couldn't be late. Time to pull out the big guns. I walked over to her curtains and on the count of three pulled them back, letting the bright sunlight stream in. She groaned, throwing an arm over her face.

"Come on, Lexie," I said, "I've got an important meeting today."

"Okay, okay. I'm up." She stretched and rubbed her eyes, throwing her legs over the side of the bed.

"Two down, one to go," I said to myself.

I made my way down the hall, knocking loudly on Aaron's door. I didn't like to ever enter his room, but if need be, I would. After about ten minutes of constant knocking, he finally croaked an answer. "I'm up!"

Satisfied with my morning's work, I went back down to the kitchen.

"Morning, Mom," Maddie said, pouring herself a glass of juice. Her long bronze hair was pinned atop her head, curls artfully falling around her face, and she was wearing a baby-doll style white top and miniscule denim shorts. I thanked God Edward wasn't up yet; he'd have a fit.

"Morning, sweetie. Did you sleep okay?"

"This house is like a Turkish bath," she said, rolling her eyes. "I didn't get to sleep 'til gone 1 AM."

I frowned. "Why were you up on time then?"

She just shrugged and busied herself with her phone. _Huh. _My mother's intuition started going haywire, but I brushed it off. It was the last week before the end of school, she was probably just excited for the summer.

By 8 AM, all of us were out the door and on our way, relieved to be in cars with air-conditioning. This would be the last week I would have to drive Lexie to her middle school; next year she'd be at high school with her brother and sister, and they would drive her. As soon as I'd dropped her off, I headed for the Starbucks, picking up a blueberry muffin and that iced latte I'd promised myself, although really I needed something stronger to deal with Mrs Trackwell-Blythe.

.

.

"Isabella!" Victoria cooed as she entered my office, her voice dripping in fake sweetness. I had never told her to call me by my first name or encouraged any kind of closeness, yet she always pretended we were the best of friends.

"Mrs Trackwell-Blythe," I greeted, plastering a fake smile on my face. I extended my hand but she pulled me into an air kiss on both cheeks.

"Please," she said, "none of that. You know by now it's Victoria."

"Victoria, then. Please take a seat."

She sat down in one of the plush chairs opposite my desk. "Don't you look wonderful, Isabella, I love your dress. It's so … '_hometown'_!"

_Did she just call me trashy?_ She'd only been here thirty seconds and I was already tasting blood.

"Thank you, Victoria, you look lovely as ever." And by lovely, I mean nipped and tucked. "I trust the vacation was enjoyable?" _Two weeks in Florence, my ass._

"It was amazing! Now tell me, wherever is that gorgeous husband of yours? I've been looking all over the building for him!"

"He's working from home today," I said. Victoria had the biggest crush on Edward. Hell, I don't think she even looked over his designs for the house, she'd just signed on the dotted line, dropping her pen, flashing her very fake cleavage at him and asking him if he was a '_hard _worker'. Edward wanted to tear up the contract then and there. He'd been so horrified, he came into my office and placed his head on my boobs, mumbling words like 'soft' and 'natural'.

"Such a shame," she sighed. "You know, Isabella, I've been thinking about the master bedroom again. What do you think of a Chinese theme?"

"Chinese?" I asked. "In your Victorian era period home?"

She nodded. "Bright reds and gold with silk bedding, bamboo and Buddha statues. Oh and dragons, of course ... maybe some stuffed pandas … oh, silly me, that's illegal, isn't it? Well, I've got a Ming vase we could use … maybe we could get a mural with Geisha on the Great Wall of China?"

"Geisha are Japanese," I told her, in shock at the image she created and trying to come up with a way to talk her out of this one.

She waved a hand dismissively. "Potato, potahto."

"Listen, Mrs Tr- Victoria, I think your idea is very … interesting … and it certainly matches your … _larger than life_ personality … but if you would like my honest opinion, I think the French boudoir we previously discussed is more apt for a woman of your … refined taste." There, that was diplomatic. And a complete lie.

She smiled. "You know, I think you're right, Bella. Maybe we can make one of the guest rooms Chinese. Let's look at the mock-up for the boudoir again."

Grateful to have moved on from the subject, for the meantime at least, I spun my laptop around. The master suite had been in a real bad state, but would be transformed into a beautiful powder-blue room with cream accents and mahogany furniture. It was lavish without being tacky. The one thing Victoria loved more than anything was to feel like she was a queen, and this suite was certainly regal. There would be a replica of a Louis XIV chandelier, made with the finest French crystal, and even a canopy over the super-king size bed. Now, in any other house, it would look ridiculously out of place, but it went with the grandeur of the building.

Victoria and I discussed some of the other rooms, and I managed to sidestep her attempts to paint the living room bubble-gum pink. Not that there is anything wrong with pink, but there's a time and a place for everything. She also wanted a mural of her and James, naked and _intimate_, painted in their study. That was all kinds of disturbing.

Finally she left, with a _'Ciao!'_ and a '_Love to Edward'. _If she hadn't been testing my last nerve before, then she definitely was now. I sank back in my desk chair, rubbing my temples. Fifteen minutes later, Alice came in with another iced latte for me and an iced mocha for herself.

"How did things go with Medusa?"

"God," I groaned. "It was horrible."

"As bad as the time she wanted Perspex toilet seats with real fish in?" she asked with a snort.

"Worse! If it was left up to her it would look like a 1970s porn mansion with a side of tacky takeout restaurant for good measure. She wanted stuffed pandas, Alice. Pandas!"

"Wow. I didn't know she and James wanted a nursery. Isn't she a little old?"

"No, I don't mean cuddly toys, I mean real, stuffed, black and white, bamboo-eating, endangered pandas."

She spat her coffee out. "Oh my, God!"

"Yep," I said, handing her a tissue to mop up. "What's really disturbing is that isn't the worst part."

"What's the worst part?"

I grimaced. "A life-size mural of the happy couple."

"That's not too bad in comparison."

"It is when it's an erotic mural which she went into in _graphic_ detail to explain what she wanted. She even drew me a sketch."

"You're kidding!" she shrieked.

I shook my head. "I wish I was, Alice. I wish I was."

"Where is it?"

I pulled the drawing out of the Trackwell file, even though I'd wanted to chuck it out straight away.

"Wow," Alice said. "She certainly thinks a lot of him."

"Don't," I groaned. "You didn't have to listen to her go on and on about its shape and texture. I think I know more about that man's schlong than he does." I shuddered. "Come on, let's go for an early lunch."

"Okay, what do you fancy?"

"Anything but sausage," I replied, making her burst out laughing.

.

.

**EPOV**

_Thank fuck it's Friday. _I normally worked more reasonable hours, but recently it had been all hands on deck as we rushed to finish several jobs on time, so coming home was a relief. We'd reached our deadlines and I would only have to do a couple of hours work tomorrow, at the most.

I set my laptop bag down on the hall table, the sound of the radio and my wife's singing coming from the kitchen. Whatever she was cooking made my mouth water. I leant against the doorjamb, watching her shake her ass when she thought no one was watching. When she spun around and saw me, she almost jumped a foot in the air, clutching her heart.

"Jesus Christ, Edward," she gasped, turning down the music. "Way to scare a girl."

"Sorry, baby." I snaked my arms around her waist, grabbing a handful of her ass, and kissing her. "Watching you shake this was just too irresistible."

She tossed her head back in laughter.

"What are you making anyway?"

She turned back to the stove. "Italian cottage pie."

"What makes it Italian?" I asked.

"It has pancetta and oregano, and the potatoes are covered with parmesan."

"Sounds delicious. Is it just us or are any of our spawn joining us for dinner?" I asked.

"I think it's just us," Bella said, putting the pie in the oven. "Aaron is downstairs with his band then they're going to Peter's. Lexie's at the movies, Maddie's at work and then she's picking her sister and friends up on the way home."

"Just how many teenagers are we responsible for in our house tonight?" I asked.

"Probably just four: Lexie and her friends." She frowned. "Maddie might be going to Leah's for a 'sleepover'. We need to have a chat with her."

Now it was _my _turn to frown. "What's wrong with a sleepover?"

She gave me an '_are you that stupid?' _look. "Edward, think about it. She's seventeen and school broke for summer today. What did _you_ used to do on a Friday night back in high school?"

I could feel the colour drain from my face. I used to party, and party _hard._ There would be a house party most weekends, and that involved getting shit-faced and banging some chick with a smokin' body.

"Like hell she is!" I yelled. "As soon as she gets in, she's grounded."

Bella shook her head. "Edward, she hasn't done anything wrong." She took my hands and we sat down at the table. "Look, do I like that our baby girl is going to go out where there will be alcohol? Hell no! But it is likely to happen whatever we do. We have to trust we have raised her right and to be sensible with her choices. I don't want to keep her locked up until she goes to college and then goes absolutely crazy in rebellion."

"Bella, how can you accept this?"

"I don't like it, Edward, but we have to trust her. I think we should have a talk with her before she goes. I want her to know we're here for her. If we let her go, I want to know there is a designated driver."

I grumbled some more as Bella went to get the pie out of the oven. Just the thought of my baby girl being around drunk high school guys turned my stomach. We were halfway through dinner when Madison, Lexie and her friends came home, arms laden with junk food. After a quick greeting, the younger girls went downstairs to their rec room to set it up for their sleepover.

Madison was about to make her escape when we stopped her. "Are you going to Leah's tonight?" Bella asked.

"Yeah, we'll probably just rent movies, you know?" She shifted from one foot to another; my daughter couldn't lie for shit. I was going to wind her up, but Bella shot me a 'look'.

"Yeah, I _know_," I said. "Sit down, Maddie."

She took a seat at the kitchen table.

"Look, honey, we're not stupid, okay?" Bella said. "We were your age once and we know the kind of things that go on. We are going to ask for complete honesty. Now, are you going to a party tonight?"

"Is this a trap?" Maddie asked.

We shook our heads.

"Okay, fine. Yes, I'm going to a party. Happy?"

"Not particularly," I muttered dryly, making Bella elbow me in the ribs.

"We know there will probably be alcohol," she said, "and you know we've talked of the dangers of drinking and drugs. We are _not _encouraging you to indulge, but we are accepting that at some point you probably will. Therefore we're not going to stop you from going, Maddie," my wife said, "but we are going to ask that you are responsible."

"Your mom's right," I continued. "If I had my way, I'd lock you in a tower 'til you're thirty, but that's not realistic. It's just that hanging around high school guys … _drunk _high school guys … it worries us. You're smart, but those pervs are out for all they can get." I cleared my throat. "I don't want your virtue to be compromised."

Maddie looked at me like I was an idiot … I guess my choice of language was a little formal.

Bella took over. "What your dad is trying to say ... horribly, I may add ... is that you have to be on your guard. Don't put yourself in a situation that is out of your control. We will be here all night by the phone. If you need a lift at _any _time, one of us will come and get you. We would rather you call us than get into a car with someone who has been drinking. I don't need to tell you not to drink and drive, honey. Who's driving tonight?"

"Emily," Madison mumbled.

That was reassuring, Emily was a good kid.

"Okay then," Bella said. "We love you, sweetheart, and you're so precious to us. Please repay the trust we are showing in you."

Maddie nodded, getting up to kiss our cheeks. "Thanks, guys. You know, for parents, you're actually kind of cool."

When she left the room, I banged my head against the table. "Give me the dirty diapers and sleepless nights any day, at least I knew what they were doing."

Bella giggled. "Come on, let's go watch a movie to distract you. I might even let you feel me up."

I shot out of my seat, and promptly dragged her to the living room.

Distractions fucking ruled.

* * *

**Please review!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Big thanks as always to A Jasper For Me, and to my wonderful reviewers! :)**

* * *

**Chapter 6**

**BPOV**

"Have you put the bottles of water in?" I asked.

"You've already asked me that, Mom," Maddie called back. "Everything's ready to go."

She'd returned late Saturday morning while I was cooking breakfast for the girls. She didn't look too bad; a little rough around the edges, but not hung-over. Something had put her in a good mood, and by the way she was glued to her phone, more than usual, I suspected it was to do with a boy. I didn't clue Edward in yet, because these were just my suspicions.

Today the five of us were going to the beach by Lake Michigan, and Maddie and I were loading up the car. It had been a long time since we'd had a day out, and although Aaron took some persuading to leave his guitar, everyone seemed hyped-up about it. It reminded me of when they were little, so excited to go to the beach. They would make intricate sandcastles with Edward and fight over who got which tower before going paddling on the shore, letting the waves wash over their toes. They were such good times, but now we had new memories to make.

Carlisle and Esme were still out of town, and Jasper and Alice had taken the twins to visit his parents in Texas, but Rose, Emmett and Dale were coming with us. At least Aaron would have another teenage guy to chat to.

Em and Rose pulled up outside our house, bringing a cooler of their own. We decided the four kids could ride in Madison's car and we parents could go together.

The beach was quite busy, as was expected, but we found a spot with enough space to spread out. We set our towels down, the kids sitting apart from us, and Aaron and Dale went to throw a Frisbee. I pulled out the suntan lotion and threw some to the girls. I'd gone with shorts and the same blue bikini I'd worn at the cookout, so I slipped my kaftan off and lathered up.

"I wish I had a body like yours," Rose said. "You've had three kids and bounced back; I had one and I've still got the stomach flab." She elbowed me, nodding towards my girls who were down to their bikinis, sunning themselves. "What it is to be young, huh?"

Emmett and Edward brought the coolers over, and I watched him look over me appreciatively. But when he looked across to the kids, his face grew horrified.

"They are covering up, right the fuck now," he said through gritted teeth.

"Damn right, bro," Emmett agreed.

I stopped my husband going over, practically sitting in his lap to keep him there. "Edward, they are wearing perfectly respectable bathing suits. I would not allow them to walk around like Brazilian girls on a beach in Rio."

"But, Bella," he whined. He looked like a lost little boy. "They have breasts!"

Rose snickered. "Yes, Edward, your daughters have breasts. It's not unheard of during puberty."

"Look at all these little punks eyeing up my girls!" He gestured around the beach. He was right, the girls were receiving several admiring glances. "You're going to end up bailing my ass out of jail!"

"Edward, you are going to have to accept that your girls are young women. Now stop this nonsense and relax."

It wasn't long before the two men went to play Frisbee with their boys, which Rose and I were grateful for because their constant glares and general knuckle-dragging behaviour was getting on our nerves. Lexie was engrossed in her book, as was Maddie with her Vogue and her phone. Rose and I lay back, letting the rays bronze our skin.

"I think Maddie's got a boyfriend," I said to her.

She let out an almost Alice-esque squeal. "What do you know?"

"Not much. Just that she's been making extra effort since last week and she's never off her phone. I think it's surgically attached to her hand."

Rose laughed. "Dating was so different when we were their age. Non-cordless phones … snail mail … You do know Edward's going to flip his shit, right?"

"Thank you, Captain Obvious. I'm waiting until I know for sure. If she doesn't have a boyfriend, then there's at least a guy she likes."

"And there will be many more," she said. "Get ready for the tears, B. First love only leads to heartache."

"You cynic, you," I said, my giggles turning to a groan. "God, it's bad enough to go through it yourself, but watching them hurt will be a thousand times worse."

"It's worth it in the end though, you know, finding 'The One'." She nodded to our husbands, running and jumping with their shirts off. Emmett was more bulky than Edward, but they were both fine specimens. I watched as they reached for a water bottle and poured it over their head.

"Dayum," Rosalie muttered. "We did well, B. We did well."

I felt a sudden wave of heat come over me that had nothing to do with the sight of Edward's torso.

"You okay?" Rose asked.

"Yeah, just a hot flash. I think I've had too much sun." I moved to set myself up under the shade, not wanting to risk getting sunstroke, and fanned myself. The heat was making me sleepy and I struggled to keep my eyes open.

"What's up, baby?" Edward asked as he sank down beside me, frowning.

"I think I just need to eat something," I told him.

He pressed his hand to my forehead. "You're warm. Do you feel unwell?"

"No, just tired and really hot."

He fetched me a bottle of water, and I drank it greedily. He sat behind me and I nestled myself between his legs, leaning back against his chest. When everyone got hungry, the kids dragged their towels over to ours. The food make me feel a little better, but the combination of a full stomach and the heat made me slip into a light sleep. When I woke up, it was just me and Edward.

"Hello, Princess Aurora," he said, eyes twinkling.

I stretched. "Sorry I fell asleep on you."

He kissed the tip of my nose. "Do you feel better for it?"

I grinned up at him lazily. "I always feel better with you."

.

.

**EPOV**

"I'm not sure about this," I said as I zipped up my suit carrier. It was Saturday morning, a week since our trip to the beach, and Bella and I were attending the wedding of an old friend, Liam. He and his ex-wife had been part of our circle back in college, which meant Bella, me, Alice, Jasper, Emmett and Rose were all going. After his divorce, Liam had gone to start over in Rockford, which was where he met his fiancée, Maggie, a few years ago.

It was an hour and a half's drive away, so we had decided to stay the night. I was dubious. The girls were both staying at their friends', with Maddie insisting it was just a girls' night. That left my son. Alone. In an empty house.

"Edward, we're going," Bella said firmly. "He's sixteen, he needs responsibility and he knows there would be hell to pay if he threw a party. Be serious; he's not that dumb."

"If you say so," I grumbled. "Though it's hard to take you seriously with those huge-ass rollers in your hair."

"You're on thin ice, Cullen," she warned. "Look, your parents are around if the kids need anything urgently, and we'll have our phones on us at all times. Just try to relax a bit and let us enjoy the weekend. I don't want you moaning the whole way there."

"Okay, love. I'll try." I kissed her chastely before checking we had everything, and going to find the kids. We found them all in the kitchen, Aaron and Lexie eating cereal while Madison fiddled with her cell. It was a good job she was now paying half the bill, what with the amount of time she spent texting. Whatever happened to picking up the phone and calling someone? It was so much quicker.

"We're off, guys," Bella said. "Madison, are you still okay to drop your sister off at Bree's later?"

She nodded without looking up from that pesky screen. "Sure thing."

"Thank you, sweetheart. Now, there's money in the top kitchen drawer in case you need it, Nana and Grandpa are home and you've got all our phone numbers. Call anytime."

"Mom, relax," Maddie said. "Go and have a good time."

Bella gave them all kisses on the cheek while I mussed their hair.

"Okay, enjoy yourselves," Bella said, leading me out into the hall.

"Not too much!" I called back. "And no parties in our house or I swear to God you'll be grounded all summer!"

"What constitutes a party?" Aaron asked, smirking.

"You can have your band over, but that's the limit, Aaron Anthony."

He held up his hands. "I'm kidding, Dad. Chill."

_Easier said than done._

With a last goodbye, Bella and I made our way to the garage. "I'm driving," she said. "I'll be the DD tonight. You'll need some champagne to stop you worrying."

I rolled my eyes as we got in the car. "Fine, but you know what that means … I get control of the iPod!"

"Edward, we like the same music."

"Don't rain on my parade, Bell. I'm DJ for this trip." I scrolled through playlists, settling on my 80s favourites, and Bon Jovi sounded through the speakers.

"How did I know you would choose this?" Bella laughed, gripping my hand on the console.

"Sing with me," I said, launching into the track. "_She says we gotta hold on to what we've got, it doesn't make a difference if we make it or not, we've got each other and that's a lot for love … we'll give it a shot! _Take it, Bell!_"_

_"Ohhh, we're half way there! Ohhhhh! Livin' on a prayer!"_

_"Take my hand; we'll make it I swear!" _

_"Ohhhhh! Livin' on a prayer!"_

We both broke into laughter, the track continuing with much off-key singing and air-guitar from me. Our journey to Rockford was quicker than we expected due to our carefree antics and we arrived at the hotel by mid-day. We had a few hours before the ceremony was due to start.

"Wow," Bella said, as she explored the deluxe suite. Yeah, I was going to treat my wife. Sue me. "Oh my God, Edward!"

"What?" I asked, hurrying over to the bathroom.

"Look at the jets on this shower! Damn, why did I have one at home?!"

"Baby, we can have all sorts of fun in the shower tomorrow morning," I said, winding my arms around her waist and kissing her neck.

"Mmm … promise?"

"You have my word, and believe me, I take my promises _very _seriously," I said huskily. "I can't wait to take you up against the shower wall."

She moaned. "Okay then, I guess I can live with that."

I gave Bella one last squeeze and went to grab the room service menu. "We need something to keep us going," I said, passing it to her. "They're just having a buffet tonight, not a sit down meal."

"Hmm," she mused. "I think I'll have a tikka wrap and a diet Pepsi."

"Since when do you like spicy food?"

"It just appeals," she said shrugging.

"Well, what my wife wants, my wife gets," I said, reaching for the phone. I ordered myself a steak sandwich and some fries to share, while Bella began setting out her array of cosmetics. I was so glad I wasn't a woman. I did apply moisturiser once a day (don't judge) and I manscaped down below, just like Bella kept herself well-groomed. She kept a bit of hair though, which I liked; she was a woman, after all.

Our food arrived and we ate over in the sitting-area, Bella devouring her wrap. Afterwards, I switched on the TV, but I found myself watching my beautiful wife instead.

"Edward, quit it!" she said as she took out her rollers. "You're making me self-conscious."

"Sorry, baby, you're just so gorgeous." She really was. Her hair fell in big, soft waves and her beautiful features were enhanced by her light make-up. "I'm going to have to stay by your side tonight."

"Silver-tongued devil."

"I'll show you silver-tongued!" I growled, making her laugh.

"As much as I love your tongue, you need to put your suit on. We're meeting the guys in half an hour down in the lobby."

"Can we discuss your love for my tongue later on?"

"As long as there's some practical application."

"I can guarantee it, Mrs. Cullen."

Before we left the room, I checked my phone, but there were no messages from home. I didn't know if that was a good sign or not. Maybe Aaron was right; maybe I did need to 'chill'.

.

.

The ceremony was intimate but beautiful, taking place in the hotel grounds. It was good to see my old buddy so happy after the hell his ex-wife put him through. He and Maggie were so in love, and I heard Bella sniffle beside me as they recited their vows. The six of us plus Angela and Ben were sat together at the reception, and it almost felt like old times, apart from everyone checking their phones every half hour. We reminisced about our own weddings. Had I really been married for nineteen years? As I thought back on all that happened in those years, I suddenly felt tired.

We watched the happy couple smash cake in each other's faces and then dance to Eva Cassidy's cover of 'Songbird'. Bella and I always loved to dance together at parties; she may have an aversion to sports, but put some music on and that girl could move. We were on the dancefloor when my phone rang. The caller id said _Dad_.

I led a panicking Bella out of the function room so I could hear.

"Dad?" I answered, frantic. "What's the matter?"

"It's Lexie," he said. "She fell playing soccer at Bree's and she's broken her leg."

"Shit!" I cursed. "How is she? Where are you?"

"We've just got to the hospital now. She's in a lot of pain but she's trying to be brave."

"We'll come straight away," I told him, looking at my watch. "We can be there by 9:30 … nine if we drive fast."

"Don't be reckless, Edward," he warned. "She's got her Grandpa to look after her, and I'm going to pull some strings to get her seen faster."

"Thanks, Dad. Give her our love, keep in touch."

Bella looked like she was going insane by the time I ended the call, probably imagining all kinds of horrible scenarios. "What the hell happened, Edward?!"

"Lexie's broken her leg."

Her eyes filled with tears and I cradled her face.

"It's okay; Dad's with her and they're in the ER. Do you want to pack our things and I'll say goodbye to the others?"

She nodded, kissing my cheek and running towards the elevator.

I went back in and found my brother and Rose dancing. I told him what had happened and asked him to pass on the message. They said they would be over tomorrow to see her; I suspected she would have lots of visitors.

Loosening my tie, I went to the reception desk to check us out. Bella appeared with our case and garment bags and we handed in our keys before racing to the car. I threw my suit jacket in the back, unbuttoning my collar and rolling up my sleeves.

Our journey back was not light and carefree like the way there. I knew she was in good hands, but I wanted to be there to comfort her. Finally, we pulled up outside the hospital, and rushed inside. "My daughter was brought in earlier with a broken leg," I told the receptionist. "Can you tell me where I can find her?"

"What's the name, Sir?"

"Cullen. Alexa Cullen."

She smiled up at me. "Ah, yes, Dr. Cullen's grand-daughter. The doctor just finished up with her, she should be-"

"Daddy!" my Lexie called. "Mom!" We spun around to see her being pushed in a wheelchair, a bulky purple cast on her right leg.

Bella and I rushed over to her, leaning down to hug her tight.

"Are you okay, Lex?"

"Please, regular walking was getting far too easy," she joked, but I saw her wince in pain.

Bella began questioning her as we walked out, and I fell in step with my father. "What did the doc say, Dad?"

"She was relatively lucky," he told me. "It's a clean break to the fibula; she'll be in plaster for six to eight weeks. She's been given quite heavy painkillers for the moment, and she'll have to get used to using crutches. I'd suggest you set the sofa-bed up for now, and you have to keep the leg elevated." He handed me leaflets, appointment card, and some cast protectors before helping get Lexie in the car. "Here's her prescription; she can have her next dose of painkillers at 11 PM."

"Thanks for being there, Dad" I said.

"That's what I'm here for," he replied as we shared a man-hug. "Your mother and I will be over tomorrow. Bye, Bella. Bye, Lexie."

My daughter was riding shotgun as there was more room, so I was relegated to the back. I didn't mind though. I was just glad my baby girl was okay. When we got home, I was pleased to see there was just one extra car outside our house. Maddie's Volvo was gone from the garage, but Aaron's Toyota was still there. _Looks like he kept his word. _Lexie managed to make it inside with her crutches, and Bella led her to the family room. There was no sign of Aaron so I assumed he was in the basement or his room.

"Edward, can you go get some pillows?" Bella asked.

"Sure," I kissed both girls on the head and started up the stairs.

The lights were off on the second floor, but as I came closer I was confused by the sound of soft jazz and the flickering of candlelight against the wall opposite our bedroom.

I crept closer, utterly bewildered, and froze in the doorway at the sight before me. "What the fuck is going on here?!"

* * *

**What is going on?**

**Please review!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Thank you to all reviewers and my beta A Jasper for Me!**

* * *

**Chapter 7**

**BPOV**

I settled Lexie on the other couch, elevating her leg with cushions, while I pulled out the sofa bed. We kept the linen in a chest in the hall closet, but I'd forgotten to put pillows in after it had last been used, so I sent Edward up to get some.

_"What the fuck is going on here?!" _I heard him bellow from upstairs. Lexie and I looked at each other in concern and confusion. I could hear muffled voices, only able to pick out the odd word.

"Lex, I'll be right back."

She nodded, fishing her phone out of her pocket, and I raced up the stairs. I don't know what I was expecting to find, but what I saw certainly wasn't it. In our bedroom, Edward stood rigid, his muscles tense as he yelled. "Put some fucking clothes on!"

There, scrambling to get out of the king-size bed covered in silk sheets, was our son, nude, and an equally naked, red-faced blonde. The room was filled with candles, and from the en-suite, I could hear the water bubbling away in our Jacuzzi tub. Beside the bed was an open bottle of champagne and two almost-empty glasses.

Edward's fists were clenched by his side, his nostrils flaring and his eyes murderous. I had literally never seen him this angry—it was radiating off of him. I was in shock. It was like a car crash; horrifying but I couldn't look away. I placed a hand on his shoulder to try and calm him. My husband wasn't a violent man; he'd never raised a hand to the children, but I could tell he was struggling against the urge to pick Aaron up by the scruff of his neck.

"Edward," I said, snapping out of my daze. "Go downstairs and check on Lexie."

He hesitated for a moment, but finally nodded curtly, storming out. I went around blowing out candles and turned off the Jacuzzi as they shrugged hurriedly into their clothes. After a minute, I heard the back door slam.

"What's your name?" I asked the girl, my voice hollow.

She finished buttoning her blouse. "Tanya."

"Well, Tanya, I think you had better call your parents to pick you up," I said. "You've been drinking."

"My parents aren't home, Mrs. Cullen. Please, I've only had one glass; I can drive."

I shook my head. "It would be irresponsible of me. Is there anyone who can pick you up?"

"I can ring my older sister," she said in a small voice.

Aaron looked down at his feet as Tanya went out into the hall, and I began stripping the bed.

"Mom-"

"_Don't," _I warned him. "Just don't. I can't talk to you right now. You have crossed a serious line tonight. Go to your room; we'll talk about this tomorrow ... 9 AM, in the dining room. Don't be one second late because I don't think your father's patience will stretch any further. And hand me your phone."

He passed me his cell, his shoulders slumped as he walked out, and I followed behind him. Tanya was still talking, but I made Aaron go straight to his room. She gave her sister our address, and when she'd finished, I took her down to the kitchen to wait; I may have been unbelievably mad but I wasn't going to make the girl stand outside.

I went to check on Lexie next. Edward could wait.

"What's going on, Mom?" she asked.

I stroked her hair back off her forehead. "I can't tell you right now, Lex. How are you feeling? Are you in pain?"

She made a face and nodded.

"Okay, honey, well according to your grandpa, you can have some more painkillers at eleven o'clock, so that's in…" I checked my watch, "…half an hour. Do you need anything?"

She listed her required items: her book, iPod, laptop, a glass of water, her toothbrush, hairbrush, that type of thing. I brought everything to her then left her messing around on Facebook.

A knock at the door sounded and I opened it as Tanya came into the hall. I presumed the blonde in front of me was her sister.

"Hi, I'm Bella Cullen. Thanks for coming to pick Tanya up."

"That's okay. What happened?"

I sighed. "My husband and I came home to find her and my son … _busy _... and they had helped themselves to a bottle of champagne. I couldn't let her drive."

She swore under her breath, and her eyes shot to her sister, who looked down at the floor. "Thank you for getting her to call me; I appreciate it. Come on, T. Let's go."

"I'm really sorry, Mrs. Cullen," Tanya said as she slipped past me. I just nodded; what could I say? '_That's okay'_?It wasn't.

As they left I closed the door, sliding the chain across. I was putting out fires all over the shop, but this last one might be the most difficult of them all. Lexie was still hooked on her laptop, so I went out back where Edward sat on the daybed, staring off into the dark.

"Hey," I said, sitting down beside him. "Are you feeling any better?"

He shook his head. "I was so mad, Bella," he whispered darkly. "It was like a red haze came over me; he's my son but, honest to God, I thought I was going to lose it. If I had stayed, I would have said or done something I'd regret."

I rubbed his shoulders. "I know."

"I couldn't even go check Lexie was okay; I couldn't let her see me like that. I was literally shaking with rage." He sighed. "What happened when I left?"

"I got the girl ... Tanya ... to call her sister. She's just picked her up. As for Aaron, I took his phone, sent him to his room and told him we'd speak to him tomorrow morning."

Edward buried his head in his hands. "What the hell do we do, Bella? I mean, using the master suite, our _bedroom_, to seduce a girl? The Jacuzzi? The champagne ... which he took from our wine rack, by the way."

I felt tears pricking my eyes. "I'm sorry, Edward."

He looked up in confusion. "Why are you sorry?"

"I said we should trust him," I replied. "I honestly thought he was more mature than this."

"No, you were right; we should be able to show trust in our sixteen-year-old son. He knows the difference between right and wrong. Now I'm just wondering where _I've _gone wrong as a father."

I took his face in my hands. "You listen to me, Edward Cullen: you are a wonderful dad. Never doubt that. Kids do stupid things. I can promise you, he's mortified about his actions right now." I stood up and took his hand. "Come on, I'm not leaving you to wallow. Let's go and see our baby girl. I need to finish making up her bed."

"Speaking of beds, ours needs to be burnt," he muttered.

I laughed. "I'll pass you the matches."

Inside, I got Lexie ready and settled for the night, working out a system for if she needed us. Both Edward and I would keep our cells turned on loud and on vibrate on the nightstand, as well as keeping the house phone with us. Lexie would ring if she needed us during the night, or text us in the day if we weren't in shouting distance.

Soon her pain meds kicked in and made her drowsy, and she began to drift off to sleep. Edward and I kissed her forehead and then went upstairs to the guest room. No way in hell were we sleeping in our bedroom until it had been thoroughly cleaned and a new mattress bought.

We talked about Aaron's punishment and came to a decision. What with the drive, the wedding, Lexie, and finally, Aaron, I was exhausted. By the time we switched the lights off, I all but collapsed into a dreamless sleep.

.

.

**EPOV**

I'd had the most dreadful dream and I woke up staring at a strange ceiling. The sheets around me didn't feel like they normally did and the bed wasn't as comfy. Then I remembered we were away, which made sense.

Or at least, it made sense until I looked around and, to my horror, realised last night had not been a nightmare ... well it had, but not in the literal sense. The anger I felt towards Aaron had calmed slightly, and I was left with an overwhelming sense of disappointment in its stead. I just didn't understand what would possess him to do something like that. Well, that's a lie; I knew exactly what possessed him. He wasn't thinking with the right head. Still, I felt as if his actions were somehow a reflection of me as a father and me as a man. But even at my worst, I knew some things you just didn't do. I remember when I was sixteen, my dad had a drool-worthy Ford Mustang that would have been an absolute babe-magnet, but I knew not to go there.

I threw back the covers and wandered into the guest en-suite. Bella had obviously brought up the overnight case, as my wash-bag was on counter. She'd also set out some boxer-briefs, cargo shorts and a t-shirt, probably figuring witnessing the scene of the crime would only infuriate me further. I showered and dressed, deciding I would forgo shaving since it was a Sunday, and went to go find my family. I could hear voices coming from the family room, so I fetched a quick cup of coffee and joined them.

Lexie was sitting on the sofa bed, her leg propped up on a stack of pillows, with Bella lying beside her, clutching a mug. They both looked up at me as I came in.

"Morning, girls."

"Morning!"

I kissed Bella on the lips and Lexie on the forehead, taking a seat on the opposite couch. "How are you feeling, sweetie?"

"Like I broke my leg," she joked. "The pain's okay right now, but that might be because the pills are making me a bit loopy. I guess it's a good thing or I'd go out of my mind here."

"I'll have a word with your grandpa about that," I told her. "I'm sure you're going to get plenty of visitors today."

"Ah, so I can milk the sympathy." She rubbed her hands together. "Excellent."

I ruffled her hair as Bella checked her watch, nodding towards the door. "Lex, we're going to talk to your brother, okay?"

She nodded. "Sure. Can you pass me the remote, please?"

I picked it up off the end table and she flicked on soccer highlights from last night's game. That would keep her occupied for a while. Bella led me into the dining room and we sat down next to each other. She leant her head on my shoulder, yawning.

"Did you not sleep well, love?"

"I was fine until Lexie woke up in pain. I was up with her for what felt like hours trying to get her comfortable. She dozed, so I just napped beside her. She woke at five again and hasn't been back to sleep since. Eventually I left her with her iPod and went to start cleaning our room."

I shuddered.

At 8:55, Aaron knocked on the door. Bella and I looked at each other and nodded.

"Come in."

Keeping his eyes glued to the floor, our son shuffled in. He closed the door behind him and Bella gestured for him to sit opposite us. Okay, so maybe I lied about not being angry anymore. The deceit and disrespect were still far too raw.

"Mom, Dad," he began. "I'm really sorry. I know I've majorly fu—messed up. You have every right to be mad at me. I deserve it."

"Yes, you do. I don't even know where to begin!" I exclaimed, fisting my hair. "Please, for the love of God, tell us what made you think it was a good idea!"

"You told me I should treat a chick—_girl_—right," he said with a shrug. "They love all that romance sh—stuff."

I groaned. "Aaron, using your parents' bedroom and Jacuzzi tub to impress and seduce a girl is _not_ treating her right. You're still getting yours without a thought of the girl's feelings afterwards."

He blushed, shooting Bella an anxious glance.

"No, I'm sorry, but your mom is staying for this conversation," I told him. "If you're not old enough to talk about it, you're not old enough to do it. Do you know your mother actually convinced me yesterday morning that you were responsible enough to be left alone? Do you know how worried I was to hear my daughter was in the ER with a broken leg and how horrifying it was to bring her home and find you and some girl in the bed I share with your mother?!"

"Okay, I get it!" he exclaimed, pushing away from the table. "I screwed up!"

"That's just it, Aaron, you _don't _get it!" I yelled.

I felt Bella touch my lower back soothingly. "Both of you sit down," she told us, her voice calm but firm. I ran a hand over my face as I acquiesced. Where had I gone wrong with him?

"Aaron," Bella continued. "Everyone in this house deserves to be treated with respect. You disrespected us last night. To us, that room is special. It's our sanctuary. You'd hate it if we even set foot in your room, or rifled through your song journal. We respect those boundaries and we expect you to show us the same courtesy."

He nodded glumly.

"That's not to mention taking a bottle of champagne," Bella added.

"We only had a glass."

"That's not the point," she said. "Underage drinking and underage sex in our house is _not _okay. Tell me, Tanya didn't have an overnight bag with her, were you going to throw her out afterwards and let her drive intoxicated?"

"I guess I didn't think about it-"

"Exactly," I said, cutting him off. "You didn't think. If you act like a child, we'll treat you like a child. You act like an adult, and we'll treat you as such. You have to earn our trust and respect back now."

He nodded again.

"As for your punishment, you are grounded for a month and you will hand over your car keys. One week without your phone, two weeks without band practice, and then only if you have earned those privileges. You will intern at the office two days a week until school starts up and take over Lexie's chores until she can get around better. Questions?"

"What about seeing Nan and Pops in Florida?"

"We've agreed you can still go," Bella said, "but you will make up the week you miss when you get home."

"Thanks. And I'm sorry again. Can I go now? I'd like to see Lexie."

Bella nodded. "Yeah, you can go."

Aaron got up to leave, pausing when he reached the door, his hand on the knob.

"Dad?" he said in a quiet voice.

"Yeah?"

He shuffled from foot to foot, looking decidedly uncomfortable. "You know you said I had to earn your respect back … does the same apply to your love?"

And all of a sudden, I was gazing at the five-year-old boy who sat on my shoulders and looked at me like I hung the moon. "No, son," I said, a lump in my throat. "You'll never have to earn that."

.

.

**BPOV**

The family came over at mid-day on Sunday, bringing candy, flowers, magazines and books for Lexie. She was such an active girl and hated being so restricted. I knew she would be up racing on her crutches in no time. While she was entertained, I spent time re-scheduling appointments so I could stay home with her two days during the week. Normally if one of the kids was sick, Edward and I would alternate, depending on who had important meetings or the heavier workload, and he'd not hesitated to volunteer. That was until I reminded him the person staying home would have to help her shower and be prepared to help her off the toilet if necessary. I'd snickered at his ashen face.

Esme offered, of course, but I couldn't rely on her every day; she and Carlisle looked after Katie and JJ two days a week during the summer and she volunteered at a local hospice on Wednesdays. In the end, she, Alice, Rose, I all got our schedules together and worked out a rota, with Madison volunteering to help out, too.

It turned out having Katie and JJ over was more of a help than a hindrance; the indisposed Lexie and grounded Aaron had company. He was giving JJ another guitar lesson, and seemed to be taking his punishment well.

So here I sat in the kitchen going over computer mock-ups for the final rooms of the Trackwell mansion. It was giving me yet another headache.

"Mom?"

I looked up to see Maddie standing in the doorway. She was biting her lip, a habit she got from me when she was thinking hard or was nervous.

"Hey, sweetie. What can I do for you?"

"Can I talk to you?" she asked.

"Of course you can, I've always got time." _Please God, don't let it be bad_, I thought as I gestured for her to pull up a chair. _I can't take much more. _I closed my laptop as she sat down.

"I don't want to go to Florida," she blurted out.

I frowned. "Why not, honey?"

She huffed. "I want to do stuff around here … you know, hang out with friends … it's boring there and I'm just too old to go stay with Nan and Pops."

She was lying, badly. "Alright, Maddie, what's really going on?" I asked. "A month ago you booked time-off from work for this vacation, saying you couldn't wait to hang out on the beach and watch the 4th of July fireworks over the water. You love Nan and Pops, so sorry, but you've got to give me a reason for this turn around."

She stared at the table.

"It's a guy, isn't it?" I asked. "Maddie, I'm not blind. The extra effort with your appearance, the constant texting. And now this. So, come on, who's your boyfriend?"

She threw her arms up in frustration. "Fine, there is a guy I like, _really _like, but he's not my boyfriend. I want to spend time with him among other friends."

I raised an eyebrow. "Why is it so important? You'll see him when you get back and you'll see him at school every day next year."

She scowled.

"You won't see him at school?"

She shook her head.

"Okay, so is he leaving for college at the end of summer?"

She grimaced … and I gave up.

"You've got to give me more here, honey. I never was very good at this game."

This time her lips twitched into a smile. "Do you promise to not tell Dad?"

I was torn. I didn't want to keep secrets from Edward, but I wanted my daughter to be able to confide in me. "I promise, _for now," _I said._ "_Unless you're in danger or it involves anything illegal." I got to my feet and went over to the cupboard.

"What are you doing?"

"If we're doing this, we need cookies," I said, setting the packet on the table and sitting back down. "Choc-chip: your favourite. We can't have girl-talk without chocolate. Now tell me about this mystery guy."

She nodded, chewing a bite of cookie. "Well, the thing is … he's a bit older than me."

Okay, I could deal with that. Edward and I had a two year age difference, after all. "How old is he?"

"Twenty-four."

I promptly started choking on my cookie. Maddie hit me on the back and fetched me a glass of water. I took the chance to pull myself together. Holy hell. Seven years was a substantial difference, especially at seventeen. My immediate response was to say '_she's too young'._ And in a way she was, but I couldn't just dismiss the idea. If Maddie had feelings for this boy ... _man_ ... then I had to try and be objective, 'cause let's face it, Edward would overreact enough for both of us.

"That's a big difference, Maddie."

She nodded seriously. "I know it sounds like a lot, Mom, but it doesn't feel like it. You probably think I'm idolising him because of his age, but I'm not. I've had crushes before but I've never felt this way. Just being around him or thinking of him makes me so happy."

"I can see that," I said slowly. "Who is he, anyway? How did you meet him?"

"He's Charlotte's brother, Riley. I met him at her house when I was there for dinner. We just clicked. He's very smart but he's also really funny and kind," she said. "He's a beautiful man, inside and out. I know it sounds strange, Mom, but he has such a beautiful soul."

She spoke with poise and wisdom beyond her years, and I guess I shouldn't have expected any less from Maddie. I couldn't help but notice the spark in her eyes and the caress in her voice. I knew that look, that sound. This wasn't the typical, starry-eyed teenage infatuation. Oh no, we were dealing with a much bigger thing by far: first love.

"You've spent quite a bit of time with him then?" I asked.

"Yeah, I've seen him at Char's house with other friends and we text …" Her smile suddenly fell.

"What's the matter?"

"He only sees me as his baby sister's friend."

"Sweetheart," I said, chuckling, "twenty-four-year-old guys don't text and hang out with their sister's seventeen-year-old friends if they don't like them."

Madison's nose scrunched up in confusion. "Then why hasn't he asked me out?"

"Well, you say Riley's a good guy, right?"

She nodded. "The best."

"Okay then, he's probably nervous about asking you. You're only seventeen, honey, so he's also probably worried you're not ready to date an older guy, or he thinks he's taking advantage of you. He's not, is he? He's not pressuring you into anything?"

"No!" she exclaimed. "Riley would never do something like that. He's a real gentleman, to everyone."

"Okay then," I said. "If he does ask you on a date, though, we need to discuss this again. I won't tell your dad yet, but if your friendship with Riley develops into something more, then we need to meet him before we even consider granting permission."

"Dad will freak."

"Yes," I agreed. "But if all is said and done and Riley proves himself to be a good guy, then I might be able to help your father see things in a more objective light."

"So you're okay with this?"

I thought for a moment how to phrase this. "Am I happy that you're happy?" I asked rhetorically. "Undoubtedly. I would be lying if I said I didn't have serious concerns, but I do believe you have good judge of character. I do wish he was closer to your age though, obviously."

"Can I ask why?"

I sighed, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. "Honey, you and he are at different places in your life. That said, I would rather know the truth and get to meet this guy first than have you sneak around. As for Florida … you should never place any man so high on a pedestal that you'd drop all your plans for him. I know what you're feeling right now, but you need to remain your own person."

Maddie's face fell. "So I have to go?"

I sighed. "Look, normally I would say yes. _However, _what with your sister's leg, your brother under house arrest, and you not wanting to go, I think it would be better for Nan and Pops to come up here to visit."

She squealed, pulling me into a tight hug. "Thanks, Mom. You're the best!"

"Don't thank me too soon. I want you to promise you will spend some time with them. No camping out at Charlotte's for the duration of their visit."

"I promise! Thank you!" She clapped her hands together, a gesture so reminiscent of Alice it was scary.

"Oh, and Maddie?"

"Yeah?"

"Does Charlotte know you're in love with her brother?"

Her eyes widened and she bolted from the room, leaving me to giggle then groan. She may have been an old soul, but she was still a teenager.

* * *

**Kids, eh? Please review!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Thanks to everyone who's reviewed and to my wonderful beta, A Jasper For Me. Smooches!**

* * *

**Chapter 8**

**BPOV**

My parents were only too happy to come up here. They would stay for five nights, celebrating the 4th of July, which fell on a Saturday this year. We hadn't seen them since February as they had taken an extended vacation with a European cruise to celebrate their retirement. I missed them, but I was glad they were enjoying themselves. It was the first time they'd been abroad and I'd wondered how Charlie would deal with the culture shock.

He had a long and successful career in the Jacksonville police force, culminating in the position of Chief of Police, but when he reached sixty-three last year, he decided it was time to call it a day. Renee felt the same way about her job as an art teacher at the local high school. She loved her job, but they wanted more time together. They'd worked hard and had the money, so they figured the time was ripe to call it quits.

Maybe it was strange that I referred to them by their first names. I called them Mom and Dad to their faces, but I'd grown up an only child around adults who treated me as an equal and just got used to thinking of them as Charlie and Renee. Maybe I was too trusting of my own children because I had that type of upbringing. They loved me and were great parents, but I was taught early that adult decisions meant adult consequences, so I was sensible. Charlie would tell me they would always support me, but there were no bail-outs in real life.

The honk of a horn dispersed the cloud of thoughts swirling through my mind, and I pressed my foot on the gas. I hated O'Hare, but Edward had an important meeting over a potentially massive commission today, so I'd left Lexie with her siblings and braved the bustling Friday morning traffic. Today was not shaping up to be a good day.

By the time I'd parked and found my way to arrivals, I was getting seriously flustered. I was in light beige capris and a tank, my cashmere hoodie long since taken off, but I was still boiling. I guess it didn't help being in amongst the crush of people holding signs and waiting for loved ones. This wasn't the first time I'd experienced a sudden rush of heat recently, and combined with certain other symptoms, I was drawing a very disturbing conclusion. My periods had always been light, especially with the Pill, but the last one had been _very _light, and I was having trouble sleeping despite the fact I was exhausted. Add that to the headaches, occasional dizziness, short fuse and hot flushes, and I was pretty certain I was heading for early menopause. I hadn't shared the fact with Edward yet though; I mean, I was only forty-two for Christ's sake! I decided I would continue to monitor my symptoms and probably make an appointment with my OB/GYN.

"Bella!" Renee called, rushing toward me with her arms outstretched as Charlie pushed the baggage cart.

"Hi, Mom," I greeted, hugging her tight. "So good to see you."

"You too, baby."

"What about your old man?" Charlie asked as he kissed my cheek.

"Someone had to bring Mom," I joked as we began to walk out.

He laughed. "Yeah, she couldn't be trusted alone. You look good, sweetheart."

"So do you guys. Come on, I want to hear all about Europe."

Renee launched into tales of their expedition, from the cool  
beauty of Scandinavia and the charm and history of Northern Europe, to the allure of the Mediterranean. It turned out they'd fallen quite in love with travelling, but particularly Italy. Charlie just nodded his assent, occasionally adding the odd word but mostly just letting Renee talk.

As soon as we pulled into the drive, the front door opened and Madison and Aaron came out, with Lexie hobbling along on crutches. I knew they wouldn't slow her down, and she was determined to heal quickly and get on with physical therapy to get back into her soccer. However, she hadn't quite mastered the stairs with crutches yet, so she was still in residence in the family room. That meant my parents had the guest suite, which in turn meant Edward and I had had to move back into our room. Fortunately, we had a new mattress and the linen in question had been chucked. Cue shudder.

The girls hugged their Nan and Pops and then led Renee inside. I was surprised when Aaron helped Charlie with the cases; he seemed to be making a real effort after his indiscretion. Edward and I had agreed since we were going to let him go to Florida, he could go out this weekend—with the family, obviously. Rose's parents, Vera and Royce, were joining us this year for a 4th of July concert and picnic in the park, which pushed our numbers to eighteen. Eight-frickin-teen! Because the week had been so busy, I hadn't had a single second to begin making anything, so it was going to be all hands on deck today. It was a good job the kids could entertain their grandparents.

I was fetching ingredients from the pantry when the doorbell rang, and I knew the reinforcements had arrived. One of the kids must have answered it because soon the house was filled with voices, and Rose came through to the kitchen, arms laden with storage boxes.

"Let's do this bitch," she said to herself, setting them down on the island.

"Hello to you, too."

She screamed in shock. "What the hell, B?! Were you just waiting in there to scare the living shit out of me? It's the 4th of July, not Halloween."

She continued to grumble as Madison, Alice, Renee and Esme joined us and began our allocated jobs. We were all well aware of Alice's lack of cooking skills, so she was washer-up and general dogsbody. Plus, she'd already done her bit of ordering desserts, as usual.

I normally loved this holiday, especially when it fell on a weekend. It brought the family together just like Thanksgiving and Christmas, except with nicer weather. This afternoon, however, all I felt was irritable and hot with a headache behind my eyes. Everyone else was in a good mood, though, and they laughed and sang as they worked. I put on a front to join in. It took us three hours, but finally everything was cooked, cooled and stored away in the fridge.

Tonight we adults had reservations at _Mon Plaisir, _a new French lounge/restaurant. Maddie was sitting for the twins, and obviously Lexie and Aaron were stuck at home anyway, so they were all getting pizza and movies. Esme, Rose and Alice left to get changed, and as I shut the front door, I felt like going to sleep for a year. But of course that wasn't an option. You know that feeling you have when guests stay, where you can't quite relax because you have to be a good hostess? That's how I was feeling right now. What had possessed me to let my parents stay here?

After making sure they had everything they needed, giving Lexie some painkillers because her leg was flaring up, and ironing Edward's shirt for tonight, I went to take a shower. All the prep and cooking had been sticky, sweaty work.

When I removed my panties, the sight of light blood greeted me. "Fan-fucking-tastic," I swore. Needing to cool and calm down, I switched the water on so it ran lukewarm and got in. I had just rinsed my hair of conditioner when I heard the glass door open and felt a cold rush of air against my skin. He didn't say anything and I didn't turn, he just wrapped his arms around me, touching my breasts, and began to kiss my neck.

"Get off, Edward," I said, slapping his hands away.

"Come on, Bell," he whispered. "It's been two weeks. What happened to the Bella that snuck away and sucked me off at the cookout?"

I turned to face him. "She got busy, Edward! She's trying to be a keep down a job while being a nurse, a cook, a maid, a taxi-driver and a hostess! I don't need to add being your personal sex-toy to the list!"

I opened the door, grabbing a bath towel and a tampon, and stormed out of the bathroom. He didn't follow so I'd obviously pissed him off.

I hadn't had time to even think about what I would wear tonight, so I had to rifle through the closet to find a suitable dress. Most I found were more apt for winter than summer, or were too smart or too casual, and the ones I thought would be perfect were either in the laundry hamper or at the dry cleaners. Eventually, I decided on a mink jersey dress and paired it with some nude heels.

I was blow-drying my hair when Edward came in, towel wrapped around his waist. We were running a bit behind schedule, so I had to just put my hair in a low side bun, even though it wasn't fully dried, and add a little mascara and blush.

"Where's my green shirt?" Edward asked, finally breaking the silence, though the tension was still thick.

"What green shirt?"

"You know, the one you tell me brings out my eyes. I told you I needed it for tonight."

"You told me you needed your blue shirt, not your green one," I said through gritted teeth.

"I think I know what I said, Bell. The blue one wouldn't go with these pants or shoes. Now we're going to be late."

Did this man have a death wish? "You know what, Edward? Next time, iron your own damn shirt!"

I grabbed my clutch and stomped out, only just refraining from slamming the door.

.

.

**EPOV**

I had been in such a good mood when I came home; _Cullen, Inc._ had secured a major new commission to design and build a brand new luxury holiday mansion for a Middle-Eastern sheikh, and I was looking forward to celebrating and enjoying the 4th of July weekend. Seeing my wife naked in the shower, rivulets of water running down her body, just added to my high, and I was hoping for a quickie before we left. That didn't exactly go to plan.

Bella had been a bit snappy the last few days as PMS came to town, so I should have known not to push it. We didn't fight often, but I hated when we did. We put on a united front for Charlie and Renee on the drive there, and they seemed to buy it.

My good mood may have deflated somewhat, but the day's success was still something to be celebrated, so before dinner we all, apart from the designated drivers, sat on the terrace drinking the finest champagne they had.

"Dude," Emmett said lowly. "What did you do? Bella's been shooting you evils since you got here."

I looked around to make sure Charlie was still busy talking to Carlisle. "I tried for a quickie in the shower tonight and she bit my head off," I told my brother and Jasper. "Then I had to be an idiot and accuse her of ironing the wrong shirt."

They both groaned. "Big mistake," Jasper said.

"You're telling me. I guess I should go do some grovelling or you might find _Cullen à l'orange_ on the specials."

They laughed as I walked over to Bella, sinking down onto the rattan sofa which sat opposite Alice and Rosalie. I felt her tense as I draped my arm over her shoulders.

Rose nudged my sister. "Let's go freshen up before dinner."

When we were alone, I finally spoke. "I'm so sorry, Bell. You've been trying to be Superwoman this week and I shouldn't have pushed you. I'm an ass, and I will gladly iron as many shirts as it takes to get you to forgive me."

Her lips twitched into a smile.

"I love you," I whispered. "I haven't had a chance to tell you how beautiful you look tonight. You take my breath away."

"Edward," she groaned, and I knew I was wearing her down.

"Don't make me launch into song, Bella," I teased. "I mean it; I can do an awesome _Berlin_ cover."

She tried to stop herself laughing, but couldn't. I dropped a kiss on the top of her head, clutching her to me tightly. "Are we good?"

She grinned up at me. "We're good."

It was surprising how quickly my good mood of earlier returned. Everyone was very much in the party spirit as we were shown to our huge round table and more bottles of bubbly were ordered. We laughed as Emmett tried to romance Rose by reading French dishes off the menu. She may have smacked his head for embarrassing her, but she whispered something in his ear which perked him up considerably. We laughed even harder when he told the waiter to hold the frogs' legs because of his childhood love of Kermit.

By the time we were eating crème brûlée and fluffy light soufflés, I was well on my way to being drunk. I wasn't the only one. Emmett's voice had increased by several decibels, my sister was feeding Jasper a mouthful of meringue off her fork in a way that was only just fit for polite company, and Renee was almost in Charlie's lap as they told my parents about their travels.

"That'll be us in a few years," I said to Bella, wrapping my arm around her shoulders as I gestured to her mom and dad. My words may have been slightly slurred.

"You mean I'll be practically molesting you in public?"

I laughed. "No, I mean going off on cruises … seeing all the places we've always dreamed of … having sex in the kitchen again. We'll get back to being Ella and Bedw—wait, _B_ella and _Ed_ward—not just Mom and Dad."

"You old romantic," she said.

"Hey!" I said, outraged in my buzz. "I am not old! I'll have you know, that scary Victoria told me I look twenty years young."

She giggled, rolling her eyes. "Sure you do, baby."

I nodded triumphantly, glad she agreed, and reached for the bottle of champagne.

.

.

I was dead. Six-feet-under, swimming-with-the-fishes, pushing-up-daisies, _dead_, and I was burning in hell for sins unknown; that was the only explanation for the agony behind my eyes. I could literally feel my pulse in my head, every thump feeling like a sledgehammer hitting my skull, and my mouth was as dry as sandpaper.

"Edward?" Bella's angelic voice said. I felt her warm body wrap around me from behind. "I brought you some Advil and some water, but you have to get up now; we're leaving in an hour."

I groaned. "Kill me."

She laughed against my back, dropping kisses on my skin. "No can do. For some bizarre reason, I kind of like having you around. Now get up!"

"Okay, okay." I slowly lifted myself to a sitting position, reaching for the tablets on the nightstand and washing them down with the entire glass of water. Equally carefully, I climbed out of bed and went to use the bathroom. I looked like I'd been hit by a truck then reversed over. Twice. As I stood under the shower, it suddenly dawned on me I had no recollection of coming home.

"What the hell happened last night?" I asked, walking back into the bedroom. I felt a little more refreshed. "I don't remember much after we went back to the terrace. Did I do anything embarrassing? Did the kids see me? Christ, I'm old."

She laughed. "So you don't remember Emmett getting up to do what he called the 'indepen-_dance', _which looked an awful lot like the Macarena, and then Charlie joining in?"

I groaned. "What is my brother's obsession with that dance?"

Bella came up and wrapped her arms around me, gazing up at me with those beautiful doe eyes and kissing me chastely. "In answer to your question," she began, "the girls were all passed out watching a movie and the boys were playing video games in the rec room. You didn't embarrass yourself, but you did give me a good laugh when we got to our room and you told me you were going to rock my world, then got caught in your pants trying to do a striptease, tripped onto the bed, and promptly began snoring."

"Oh_ God_," I said, cringing. "I'm sorry, baby. I'll make it up to you tonight … if you want me to. Who knew I had lost my party stamina? I'm definitely feeling my age, Bell. I just can't keep up like I used to."

"That'll teach you. Now come on, we need to get a move on." She kissed me once more and slapped my ass.

"Oh, Mrs. Cullen, you know I like it when you get feisty."

She shook her ass as she walked to the door. "Love you, babe."

I chuckled. "Love you, too!"

By the time we were on our way to the park, I was feeling more human. The headache had gone and now my stomach wanted sustenance. We met everyone in the parking lot; Emmett, Rose, and Alice were wearing big sunglasses even though it was a little overcast. Aaron couldn't hide his smirk as he helped me unload the car; my scruff, baseball cap and Ray-Bans were like a flashing neon sign reading _'hungover'._

We settled quite far back from the stage so Lexie didn't have as far to hobble. I was helping set up the folding table we'd brought, when I looked over to see her staring into space. She had a book in her hands, but her chocolate eyes were far away.

I walked over and set myself down in the folding chair beside her. I didn't push, I just sat with her. She'd talk when she was ready.

"Do you think I'll be able to play soccer properly again, Dad?" she asked pensively after a few minutes.

"Of course, honey," I said. "Is that what's worrying you?"

She nodded. "I won't be able to try out for the team. I'll have to wait a whole _year_."

"You never know, they might make an exception for you because of your involvement and glowing reports from your old school. But if not, there will be three more years for you to be on the team. The damage could have been a lot worse; you didn't need surgery. And I doubt you'd let a little thing like a broken leg get in the way of your dreams, eh? We Cullens are fighters."

Lexie smiled a little, her eyes twinkling more like her usual self. "I guess I had to give the other girls a chance; you know I'd blow all the competition out of the water," she joked.

That made me chuckle. "Modesty, thy name is Alexa."

She giggled, a beautiful, tinkling laugh. "Seriously, though, Dad … thanks."

I leant over and kissed the top of her head.

We sat for a few minutes before Maddie joined us, sitting on the mat by our feet. She handed me a bottle of water. "Here, Daddy."

I playfully narrowed my eyes. "What do you want or what have you done?"

She laughed. "I'm just trying to be nice while you're _hungover," _she said, drawing it out.

Bella's voice came from a few steps away. "Well, your dad should serve as a lesson to you both."

I reached for her hand, grabbing her and pulling her into my lap. "You would hold your dear husband up to public shame?"

"In a heartbeat," Bella teased.

I laughed, kissing her soft lips as our daughters pretended to gag.

The four of us sat together, talking and laughing, and soon Aaron joined us, followed by the rest of the family as the sun came out from behind the clouds. It was a time to just be together and appreciate each other. I looked at my beautiful kids and realised that while they may screw up, Bella and I hadn't done a bad job raising them. Madison was telling Charlie all about her job, Lexie was playfully arguing with Emmett over the latest soccer tactics of the Chicago Fire, and Aaron was talking music with Renee, of all people. He was taking his punishment with no complaining, and he was making an extra effort to win back our trust. If he said he would do something, he did it. I was proud of him. I was proud of all of them.

When it was time to eat, Bella sent me to the car for a cooler we had forgotten. Charlie fell in step beside me, needing to stretch his legs.

The first time I'd met the Chief, he wasn't the most welcoming. I went to stay in Florida for two weeks the summer of 1990, just a couple of months after Bella and I began dating. We had both stayed on at Northwestern until the end of May because of our respective part-time jobs, which was when she decided to grant me a date. It was the worst timing, but I didn't care; I could woo her from afar if need be. We spent time on the phone, of course, and I wrote to her and she wrote back, but I couldn't last three months without seeing her, so mid-July, I booked a flight and a hotel, looked up Swan in the address book, and turned up on her doorstep.

It was just my luck the Chief answered the door, in full uniform with gun in its holster. When I asked if Bella was there, I swear to God his hand twitched towards it. Before he would tell me if she was in, he invited me in and sat me down for a grilling. By the end, I think he knew everything from my mother's maiden name to my blood type. He'd looked at me long and hard, and told me if I hurt his baby girl, he'd kill me and make it look like an accident. A particularly painful accident. Somehow, I didn't think he was joking.

He gave me a bone-crushing handshake and went to call Bella down. At that time, I secretly thought he was over-protective. I was naïve.

It took him time to warm up to me, but after spending Thanksgiving with them the following year, he finally told me to call him Charlie. And when, a year and four months later, I asked for Bella's hand, he gave me his blessing, but not without another warning. He told me no one was good enough for his daughter, but I was as close as anyone could get. He began calling me son from then on.

When Madison was placed in my arms, I _got _it. The interrogation, the threats, the protectiveness … It all made sense, because no guy could ever be good enough for the perfection that was my little girl, and one day I would murder any jumped-up, horny teenager who looked at her. When Charlie first saw me holding her, he'd laughed. Honest to God, _laughed_, patted me on the shoulder, and said _'that's Karma for you,_ _now let me hold my granddaughter_'.

How he had ever let _me _date his daughter, I don't know.

"You're deep in thought, son," Charlie said, calling me back to the present.

"I was just wondering why you ever let me date Bella," I said as we reached the car.

His moustache twitched. "Believe me, it wasn't easy … but I'm a good judge of character. That turned out alright in the end, though, didn't it?"

I grinned at him, taking the cooler from the trunk. "Definitely. Nineteen years of marriage and three wonderful kids … Christ, where does the time go?"

"If you find out, let me know."

We turned back to the park for a day of fun, family and fireworks. When darkness fell, Bella and the kids may have been watching the lights illuminate the sky, but I was watching something infinitely more beautiful.

_Them._

* * *

**Please review! :)**


	9. Chapter 9

**Thank you to all reviewers and my lovely beta A Jasper For Me!**

* * *

**Chapter 9**

**BPOV**

The Thursday after the picnic, I found myself in utter pandemonium. This wasn't anything new when we were pulling together the final pieces of a project, but this was the Trackwell mansion. There were precious antiques everywhere, men running up and down stairs, and all morning Victoria had been hanging around me, questioning my judgment on the placement of every item. My head was thumping and I'd been a hair's breadth from telling her she could do the damned house herself if she was so good at it. I ended up in the bathroom in tears. Fortunately, the she-devil was accompanying James on a mini-break to France, so she had to leave by midday. I could finally get on with my job and the house would be fully finished upon their return.

Edward had really excelled himself in the design. The foyer in which I currently stood was magnificent, with its Carrera marble floors, cream and champagne walls, and dual staircases finished with ornate black iron handrails. Now I just had to dress it.

"Okay, that goes in the middle of the rug, _directly_ under the chandelier," I instructed, watching the men carefully carry the round antique walnut table. I was practically spinning in a circle shouting orders. "You! Shoes off at the door! Hey! That vase goes in the formal _living_ room, not _dining _room! Those are _not_ the cushion covers we ordered!"

"Bella?"

"What?" I snapped, turning to Alice.

She pulled the clipboard from my hands. "I think you're done for the day. I can carry on this afternoon, and we've got tomorrow, Monday and Tuesday to finish up."

"Alice, I'm not working tomorrow so I have to get this done!" I exclaimed, rubbing my temples. "There's too much to do!"

"Don't make me call Edward, because I can and I will. Go home and just relax. I won't hear another word on it; I've seen grown men cry today, Bella!"

I sighed, smiling slightly at her teasing. "Okay. Thank you and see you Monday if not before."

She hugged me and wished me a good weekend, and I left her in charge.

On the way home, I picked up a big box of double chocolate truffles, deciding they were very much needed after today. My parents had gone home yesterday, so Esme was on Lexie-duty. She was surprised when I came through the door at 2 PM, the smell of freshly-baked cookies wafting through the air.

"Hello sweetheart," she said, wiping her hands on her apron and kissing my cheek. "You're home early. Are you sick?" She placed a hand on my forehead. "Hmm, you're a bit warm."

"I'm okay, Esme, I was just getting really stressed so Alice sent me home."

"Why don't you go have a nice bath?"

"Do you know what? That's the best thing I've heard all day! I'll just go say hi to the kids."

"You take your time. They're outside at the moment, apart from Madison, she's at a friend's."

_I bet I could tell you which friend, _I thought to myself. Katie was sitting at the kitchen island, so I gave her a hug and snatched a cookie, making Esme tut playfully at me. Aaron and JJ were sitting under one of the large oaks with guitars—I wondered when Alice and Jasper had bought him one—and Lexie was reading on the deck. I walked up behind her and put my hands over her eyes.

"Hey Mom," she said.

"Hey, honey. How did you know it was me?"

She closed her book. "Because you're wearing heels and Nana isn't. It couldn't have been Aunt Alice or Aunt Rose because the doorbell didn't ring, and Madison was wearing sandals when she left. Hence, my deduction it was you. Oh yeah, and your perfume was a dead giveaway."

I sniffed myself. "You can't smell my perfume anymore."

"Correction, Mother, _you _can't smell your perfume anymore," she said matter-of-factly. "When you're exposed to a scent for long enough, your brain basically starts to ignore it so you can concentrate on other things. _I_ smell it because it's new to me, but if you sat here for a while, my brain would tune it out, too."

"What's it like to be so smart?" I teased.

"It's tough, Mom," she said dramatically. "So very tough. Pizza for dinner might help ease the strain."

I laughed. She reminded me so much of my teenage self. "You're in luck because I am not cooking after the day I've had. Unless you want your dad to make dinner?"

She wrinkled her nose. "He can do a mean grill, but a chef, he isn't."

"It's looking like pizza then. Do you want to invite your friends round? They can stay over."

"That would be cool. I'll give them a text."

"Okay, well I'm going to say hi to your brother then have a bath, I'll see you in a bit." I kissed her head and slipped my shoes off, letting my feet pad over the soft grass. By the looks of it, JJ was trying to form a chord, his brow furrowed in concentration.

"Hey guys, what're you doing?"

They looked up, seemingly oblivious to my approach. "Guitar lesson," Aaron said with a silent '_duh'._

"I'm learning the D major chord," JJ told me.

"That's great! I see you've got your own guitar now?"

"Yeah, Dad got it for me. It's awesome, but I don't think Mom likes it."

I laughed; I could imagine his constant practice was driving Alice up the wall. "As long as you're happy, I'm sure she'll be okay," I told him. "Aaron, is pizza okay for dinner tonight?"

"Stuffed crust Mighty Meaty for one?" he asked hopefully. Why he needed an entire pizza with pepperoni, ham, chicken, bacon, sausage, onions, mushrooms, mozzarella _and _a stuffed crust was beyond me, but he always ate it all and never gained an ounce of fat.

"I'll see what I can do," I said, turning to leave. "Have fun, guys."

I wound my way back inside and went upstairs, passing an excited Lexie who told me her friends were coming over in an hour. Coming home had definitely helped ease my stress, but I could still feel the tension in my shoulders, so I got my truffles and ran myself a bath with crystals in it.

The chocolate melted in my mouth as the sweet-smelling water soothed me. I luxuriated in the tub until I began to wrinkle. By the time I was dried, moisturised and dressed in sweats, I was serene and had let go of all desire to pop Victoria's very fake, uneven breasts with the heel of her own stilettos. Okay, maybe I would never be completely free of such a desire; the woman pushed my buttons, so sue me. The point was, I felt calm again.

Lexie's friends were there when I came downstairs, and with their help, she managed to make it downstairs to the rec room where they set up for the night. Everywhere was clean and tidy (thank you, Esme), I didn't have a meal to cook and I had no work to do … it was strange.

I had just laid back on the sofa when the front door shut abruptly. "Mom!" Madison called out.

"In the living room!"

The door burst open, her face alight with the biggest grin I'd ever seen. "Mom, Riley asked me out! On a realdate!" She clapped her hands together.

_Oh boy._

I smiled at her because her excitement was infectious, but I still harboured concerns. I just wanted her to be happy, healthy and safe. I knew she was the first two, now we just had to determine that she was the latter. "Come sit, missy."

Maddie sat down cross-legged on the adjacent couch, bouncing with excitement.

"So when does he want to take you out?"

"Saturday night," she almost squealed.

Her face was filled with so much hope, and however badly I wanted to assure her she could go, I couldn't do that yet. "Your father and I need to meet and talk to this guy first," I said, "and I don't mean a quick handshake before you go out. You, me and your dad need to sit down and talk tonight, and I'm going to suggest Riley comes for dinner tomorrow."

Maddie buried her face in her hands. "I don't even want to think about Dad's reaction. He'll just shout then refuse."

I went over and wrapped my arm around her. "He loves you so much, honey; in his eyes you're still his little girl and always will be. Just ask yourself, though, is Riley worth it?"

She nodded fervently, making me smile.

"Wow, he really must be something if he's worth your dad's reaction," I teased.

Her eyes sparkled with all the innocence and trust of an unblemished heart. "He is."

.

.

**EPOV**

"I'm home!" I called, dropping my keys into the bowl on the dresser. My tie had long since been removed, my sleeves rolled up to the elbow.

Bella, wearing her favourite sweats and tank, came out from the living room, wrapping her arms round my waist. "I thought you had a late meeting?" she asked. "Not that I'm not happy to see you."

I kissed her softly. "The client got held up in LA. I finished on site and didn't see the point heading back to the office, plus I wanted to get to you. A little birdie told me you were having a bad day."

She buried her head in my chest, groaning. "That woman is something else entirely. I'm sorry I had to leave; I guarantee everything will be finished by Tuesday."

"Hey, your well-being is more important that any deadline. But I'm not worried; with you and my sister running the show, I know there won't be an ornament out of place by the time the Trackwells come home."

She captured my lips with tender kisses, our mouths moving together languorously. My cock was stirring, and I knew she felt it pressing against her stomach as I wound my fingers through her silky brown hair.

"Later," she whispered when we broke apart. "I promise."

_Fuck yeah! I'm getting laid!_

"You drive a hard bargain, Mrs. Cullen, but I think I can agree to your desires." I winked at her and she led me into the kitchen. "What's for dinner tonight?"

Bella handed me a pizza menu. "I just can't face cooking tonight, plus Lexie's got friends staying so we might as well all have pizza. Let's decide what we want and I'll phone it through while you shower."

I nodded, following her instruction. By the time I was on my way back downstairs, the doorbell rang. I picked up my wallet from the dresser and handed the delivery guy the insane amount of cash, bringing in a stack of boxes.

"What the hell, Bella?" I asked. "It's like the feeding of the five thousand all over again!"

The smell of pizza wafting through the air pulled kids from all corners of the house like a siren song. There were greetings of _"Hey Dad," _and "_Hi, Mr. C"._ Lexie was the only one missing, so I assumed she was stuck in the rec room.

"Okay, one Hawaiian, one Veggie Supreme and one garlic bread," I read out. "I assume that's for you girls."

They thanked us and left with their boxes.

"One Mighty Meaty and jalapeño dough balls, that's you Aaron."

"Fucking _A_."

"Watch your mouth," Bella said sternly.

"Maddie," I continued, "one individual, thin-crust chicken and sweetcorn."

That left Bella's ham and mushroom, my American Hot, and a side of wings. No wonder it almost bankrupted me.

"Aaron, did you get the Lexus washed today?" I asked as we ate.

He nodded, chewing a bite of pizza. "Washed, waxed, and vacuumed."

My son really was doing well with his punishment. He earned his cell back and his right to have band practice, and he was getting on with the chores we set him with resignation and determination. He had been a great help round the office, and it turned out he was actually _really_ good at computers. An important file that had taken days of work to prepare somehow got encrypted on the system. Our IT guy was off sick and we had an hour before a big meeting. Aaron sat at the computer and within minutes, the file was unlocked. He utterly lost me with talk of code and encryption software as he tried to explain how the file had been locked and how he got around it. I couldn't believe I didn't know he was a computer genius, and felt bad something so big had escaped me. When I told Bella, she hadn't had a clue either. I suspected he didn't want to draw attention to it; to teenagers, computer science and programming isn't exactly seen as the epitome of 'cool'.

"Thanks, son," I said, smiling at him.

"No problem. You know, Dad, when I finish my sentence, you could always let me drive it, you know, keep it running smoothly."

I barked out a laugh. "What's it like with your head up there in those clouds?"

Aaron shrugged as he chuckled to himself. "It was worth a shot."

"That's what I admire about you, kid: your optimism. What else did you get up to?"

"JJ was here so I gave him a guitar lesson."

"Oh yeah? How's he doing?"

"He's pretty good actually," Aaron said. "Uncle Jasper bought him a guitar so he's practicing like mad and annoying the fu—_hell_—out of Aunt Alice and Katie."

I laughed loudly. "Maybe you should get your friend Peter to teach him the drums; that'd be even better. What about you, Maddie? Did you work today?"

"I had a morning shift then went round to Charlotte's house." I noticed her and Bella's eyes met. They seemed to be having a silent conversation, but I had about as much chance of understanding it as I had of deciphering Hebrew. _Women. _

When we'd all finished, the boxes stacked neatly by the door ready to be recycled, Aaron headed up to his room. I was hoping Bella and I could make our own escape, maybe light some candles and get in our Jacuzzi tub, but I was surprised to see Maddie hovering by the door in whispered conversation with her mother.

"Alright," I said. "What's going on? You two have been doing that weird, eye-communication all through dinner."

They shared one last look, and Bella grabbed my hand. "Maddie wants to talk to you about something. Don't worry, she's not in any kind of trouble," she said calmly, obviously reading the anxiety crossing my face. If Bella knew what it was about, it couldn't be that bad, right? She would have told me if it was.

As we sat in the living room, Maddie folded her hands in her lap; I knew she was refraining from picking at her nails, but her lip biting still gave her nerves away, which in turn did nothing to settle my own.

"Okay, honey, you know you can talk to me about anything. What's up?"

She took one more look at her mother, who gave her an encouraging smile. "There's a guy I like and he's asked me on a date on Saturday."

I took a few deep breaths. I knew this day would come one day, and logically I knew it could have been a lot sooner. Apart from her homecoming date in seventh grade, which was more platonic than romantic, Maddie had never shown interest in one particular boy. However, from a paternal point of view, it sent icy dread through my veins. Who was this punk?

"Well, I would like to meet him first," I said levelly, with Bella nodding beside me. "You know your mother and I said you could go on individual dates when you turned sixteen, so we're not going to go back on that … unless we think you are at risk in any way." I was pretty damn proud I managed to say all that so calmly, even though inside my heart was breaking. She would always be my little girl.

Bella and Maddie shared another long glance, and I looked back and forth between them. "There's something else, isn't there?" I asked.

My daughter nodded. "Daddy, do you promise to hear me out and not fly off the handle?"

Now my heart was pounding. "I promise to hear you out, but I reserve judgment on the latter."

"Okay … Dad, Riley is a wonderful guy. He's smart and caring and funny. He makes me smile and laugh, and I'm so happy when I'm around him."

They were words a father both longs for and dreads. Longs for because a guy makes your daughter happy, dreads because for the first time in her life, it isn't you. I may not have been able to read silent conversations, but I could read her emotions. Maddie wore her heart on her sleeve, and right now that heart was beating with love.

Beside me, Bella squeezed my hand, knowing this was hard for me.

"I want you to keep in mind that I _am _happy," Maddie continued.

"Okay, sweetheart. I want you to be happy."

She smiled and took a deep breath. "_He'stwentyfour."_

Blood was pounding in my ears as I chuckled. "I'm sorry, it sounded like you said he was twenty-four. I must be going deaf, because you couldn't possibly have said that."

"Edward," my wife said, rubbing my shoulder. "Maddie did say that."

_So this is what it feels like to have a stroke, _I thought. For a minute I was absolutely paralysed. I could see the trepidation in Maddie's eyes, but she kept them locked firmly on me, full of determination. Bella was rubbing my shoulders, and I realised I really had heard correctly. I abruptly stood up and began pacing, my hands clenched into tight fists.

"Twenty-four," I spat. "Twenty_-fucking-_four! What a sick joke! Well I tell you, it's not fucking happening!"

"Edward!" Bella exclaimed, her voice full of warning. "Maddie, leave me and your father for a minute, please."

My daughter carried herself with composure as she left the room. As soon as I heard the door close, my wife rounded on me.

"You need to stop behaving like a child, Edward," she hissed, jabbing her index finger in my chest. "You don't look, you don't listen, you just decide because you're king of the castle you can make decisions without even discussing them first with the people involved!"

"What the fuck, Bella?!" I exclaimed. "You knew about this and you didn't tell me?! What about that decision, huh? Deciding to keep it to yourself and not involving me!"

"Stop making this about you, Edward! Our daughter needed someone to confide in, and I told her she had to tell you the minute their relationship moved from platonic to more!"

"There shouldn't be a relationship in the first place!" I yelled. "How can you be okay with this?!"

"Maybe because I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt before going in all guns blazing! Maybe because I'm prepared to meet the guy before I make any judgement!"

"Well I am telling you right now, as I will tell our daughter, it isn't happening! Not on my watch!"

"Excuse me?!" Bella cried, hands on hips. "Who the hell do you think you are?! This isn't 1918, Edward; we are not submissive women for you to order around! Cut the macho, caveman bullshit, get off your high horse and maybe, just maybe, try _talking_ to your daughter, who, by the way, is behaving more maturely than you are!"

"Talking won't change the fact some sick, twisted pervert is preying on my barely legal daughter, Bella!"

Madison burst through into the room, cutting into our argument. "Stop it! Riley is _not_ a pervert! He's a wonderful, loyal, _kind_ man. He's struggled with this, but I am at the age of consent and we just can't deny our feelings anymore!"

"Well you'd better start because you are _not _dating him!"

"Dad, please," she begged. "I love him. I love him and he loves me."

"Of course he told you that, Maddie; sickos like him would say anything to get into a young girl's pants!"

"Edward! Enough!" Bella exclaimed, her eyes alight with rage.

Maddie's face was crumpled in pain. "I knew you wouldn't understand," she said, sniffling. "You won't even try."

"Honey," Bella said wrapping an arm around her, "why don't you go upstairs; I'll come see you in a bit. Your father and I need to sit and talk properly about this." She whispered something to Maddie, who nodded and without looking at me, left the room again.

Bella and I stared at each in a tense silence for several moments. I stalked over to the sideboard and poured myself a scotch. A fucking large one.

"Have you finished your tantrum now?" she asked calmly. "Because I don't care if it takes us all night, we are going to have this out."

"Why am I alone in this? Madison is our daughter and you seem happy to be pushing her into the arms of some creep!" Just the thought turned my stomach with white-hot rage and disgust.

"Edward," she said warningly, "I do not want to fight with you, but don't you dare suggest I would compromise our daughter's well-being. Unlike you, however, I also care about her happiness, and since she met Riley she has been so, so happy. Right now, though, I can guarantee she is upstairs feeling like her heart is breaking because _you_ can't accept she is a young woman and not a little girl anymore."

I ran a hand through my hair, tugging on the ends. "She'll always be my little girl, Bell. It's my job to protect her from guys like this ... this … _God, _I can't even say his name!"

Bella rolled her eyes. "Would you stop already? You are doing what you have always taught the kids not to do: making assumptions and judgments about someone you don't know before you even get to know them. I would _never _let Madison go out with him before we met him, but how is it fair to judge Riley for how old he is and not _who_ he is?"

_Why, oh why does Bella have to be the voice of reason? _I thought as she began kneading my tense shoulders.

"Edward, I'm not suggesting we give Madison permission tonight. I am asking you for one thing: to meet Riley and give him a chance—a _real _chance." She leant her chin on my shoulder. "For our daughter? For me?"

I sighed. "I make no promises, but for you two, I'll meet him."


	10. Chapter 10

**Thanks for the reviews guys! And to A Jasper For Me for beta'ing!**

* * *

**Chapter 10**

**BPOV**

I had not slept well at all. After the rushing around at the Trackwells' and arguing with Edward over what I now called Riley-gate, I should have fallen asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow. Instead, with a tossing and turning husband beside me, I found my mind unable to switch off, and when I finally did doze off, I dreamt I was fighting with Edward over letting Maddie date a Ming vase. _Weird-ass dream._

Maddie had been thrilled when I went to tell her to invite Riley round for dinner tonight. I knew she was still hurt by Edward's reaction, and I didn't blame her for that. Hell, I was still a bit pissed at him for some of the things he said, but I knew where they came from: worry, protectiveness and love. I tried to get them both to see each other's point of view, but the dust needed to settle a bit first.

When the radio alarm sounded, I went to jump in the shower, leaving Edward to shut off the overly cheerful voices of Mark and Didi's breakfast show. He was sitting up in bed by the time I came back, the sheet bunched around his legs.

"Please tell me I dreamt it and we are not hosting a dinner tonight for some twenty-four-year-old creep our daughter claims to be in love with?"

"You promised you would give Riley a chance," I reminded him.

"_Riley," _he scoffed. "Where did she meet him anyway?"

"He's Charlotte's brother."

"Charlotte? Little Charlotte Biers?"

"Yes, that Charlotte," I said as I towel-dried the ends of my hair. "How many others do we know? And she's not so little anymore; they're _seventeen_."

"God, I know but … twenty-four? Is Maddie trying to give me a heart attack?"

"She isn't trying to do anything but be with the man she loves."

He collapsed back on the bed, covering his ears. "La la la la la!"

"Grow up, Edward. I'm not shielding you from this," I told him, as I began to dress. "You need to open your eyes and respect Madison for the young woman she has become. I'm not going to enable you to live in a fantasy world where your daughters remain virgins forever with you as the number one man in their lives."

The pout on his face would have been comical if the subject wasn't so serious.

"I mean it, Edward," I said, slipping my tank top on. "Continue to act the way you did last night, and you will push your daughter away. If Riley proves to be the decent guy I suspect he is and you forbid them to see each other, you will only drive their love underground. And you know what they say about forbidden love?"

"What?"

I knelt beside him, taking his sad and lost face in my hands. "It grows stronger." With that, I placed a tender kiss on his lips and left him to mull over my words as he got ready for work.

.

.

Lexie and I were still using the cell phone system around the house, so I wasn't surprised when I got a text at 8 AM asking me to help her up because she was in pain. I quietly crept down to the girls' rec room to avoid waking the other three, who were sprawled out on the sofa beds, and helped Lexie onto her crutches, before she carefully used them to take herself back up the stairs. I hovered behind just in case she fell, and breathed a sigh of relief when she reached the top.

"That's one hell of a morning work-out!" she said, blowing out a breath. Her smile soon turned to a wince.

"Come on honey, I'll get you some pain meds. Do you want me to set you up in the family room?"

"No, I'll die of boredom if I have to stare at those four walls. Can I just keep you company?"

"Only if you keep that leg up."

"I accept your terms, Mother."

We laughed as I led the way to the kitchen. To my surprise, a very frazzled-looking Maddie was sitting at the table in a tank top and pink plaid shorts, her matted curls pulled into a bun, and was skimming through a recipe book. Make that a stack of recipe books.

"So much to do," she muttered. "Got to find a recipe … and go to the store … and find something to wear…"

"Honey?"

She held up a finger to silence me and flipped a page over.

Lexie leant in to whisper in my ear. "What's she doing?"

"Panicking," I told her, fetching her painkillers. "She has a friend coming round tonight."

"Ooh, has Maddie got a _boyfriend_?"

In the reflection of the toaster, I saw Madison's head shoot up. "I'm busy, not deaf."

"Are you sure?" Lexie asked sarcastically, sitting herself down. "That lion's mane of yours must sure block your ears."

"Lex!" I warned as I gave her two pills. "Don't wind your sister up."

I took the book from Maddie's grasp, holding her hands in mine. "Sweetheart, I know you're anxious about tonight, but we have plenty of time. Would I let you down? We can all look through these books and when we've decided, then we can go to the store and cook this afternoon. And as for the clothes, since when do _you_ not have anything to wear?"

She laughed lightly. "I know you're right, it's just I so want … no,_ need _… tonight to go well. I'm so nervous. Dad needs to be so impressed with the food he forgets why he's mad, and Riley needs to be so impressed with me and the food he completely forgets Dad's interrogation!"

"Am I guessing Daddy's not too happy?" Lexie asked.

"Your dad and I simply need to meet Riley before your sister dates him," I told her. "He'll be the same when you bring a guy home one day."

"Except this is ten times worse than he'll be with you," Madison grumbled, before launching into a brief explanation.

Lexie's jaw dropped open before she started giggling. "Oh wow, dinner's going to be almost as entertaining as an MLS Cup Final! And I've got a front row seat!"

"Oh God," Maddie groaned, burying her head in her hands. "Dad's going to be awful, isn't he? Why does he have to do this?"

I put my arms round both of them. "Girls, always remember your dad loves you and your brother so, so much. He just sometimes has a funny way of showing it, a way that makes him seem unreasonable and stubborn. Please try to be patient with him … however, there's nothing wrong with buttering him up a little tonight by making something extra special for dinner. You both in?"

They grinned at each other. "We're in."

.

.

Maddie seemed a little calmer once we decided on our menu, so while I helped Lexie shower, she went to take one of her own. Aaron was interning at the office today, so it would just be us three. I cooked waffles for all five girls in the house, because I was a soft touch and just couldn't resist the Cullen pout.

The second the last of Lexie's friends had gone home, Maddie was practically dragging me out the door and yelling to her sister to hurry up. Lexie insisted she come with us to the store, because she couldn't sit still any longer. She said if her arms got tired, we could push her in the shopping cart. I was not impressed.

My girls provided an almost constant stream of chatter and banter as we went round the store, so the trip was actually rather enjoyable. That was until a hot flush hit and I had to bury my face in the freezer cabinet. Who needed an oven, I could have poached the salmon fillets on my cheeks! When the final total came up on the cash register, I just shut my eyes and handed over my card, reminding myself this night was important to my daughter. I wouldn't go to this effort for just anyone.

We spent the rest of the morning in the kitchen, which kept Maddie's mind off the looming get-together/confrontation/interrogation. Eventually, though, the distraction began to wear off and her nerves returned. I sent her to have a bath and get ready, because as much as I loved my daughter, she was wearing my own nerves to ribbons. I just did not know what to expect, from her beau, but mostly, from Edward. I didn't know if my words from this morning had sunk in and he'd mellowed, or if he had spent the day sulking and growing more and more resolute in his decision.

So you could say I was working myself into a state, knowing I soon had to serve a three course meal while entertaining a guest, keeping my pig-headed husband calm and my lovesick daughter happy. I felt like one of those Hindu gods with many arms, and they were all busy.

After doing a few hours' work, I slipped into a simple, blue tailored dress (I mean, what do you wear to meet your daughter's sort-of boyfriend, anyway?). I poured myself half a glass of Pinot Grigio and tied an apron round my waist, completing my transformation into a living, breathing—and now drinking—cliché. I looked like the poster-girl for homemaking mother-in-laws, and I briefly forgot why I was trying so hard. But then I remembered the look on Maddie's face when she spoke about Riley, and I knew it was all worth it, even pretending this family was normal for an evening.

I heard my boys coming through the front door a few minutes later and they both traipsed into the kitchen. Edward had a look of reluctant resignation as he kissed me hello, and my son was equally surly.

"Aaron, go shower and change for dinner," I told him after I'd greeted him. "No ripped jeans!"

"Why should I dress up just because some lecherous weirdo has the hots for my sister? If that dude steps one toe out of line, I'm gonna beat his ass."

My husband looked slightly smug as I rounded on him. "Thank you, Edward; I guess I don't need to ask what kind of a spin you put on this," I said sarcastically. "Now listen up, and listen up good. You two may not care about tonight, but Madison does, and I know you care about her. So both of you will quit the Neanderthal behaviour right now and act like the civilised men I know you are. Got it?"

"Got it." To their credit, they both looked chastened.

Aaron disappeared upstairs as Edward pulled the bottle of wine from the fridge. "Bella, what the hell is all this?" he asked. "Asparagus … prosciutto … salmon fillets … I thought this was a casual dinner—he's not royalty! … Oh God, is that what I think it is?"

I rolled my eyes. "It's semi-casual, and yes, Edward—that is white chocolate, raspberry and mascarpone cheesecake."

"Did you get—"

"Clotted cream? Yes. Your daughters and I wanted to make something special and we couldn't do that without your favourite dessert."

"I don't know whether to yell at you or to kiss you silly," he said, chuckling as he wrapped his arms around my waist.

"I'll go with the latter." I pressed my lips to his sweetly, and soon we were locked in a heated kiss.

Suddenly he pulled me into the pantry and moved his lips to my neck. It felt so damn good.

"Edward," I whispered breathlessly, "You've got to … _oh God, yes_ … no, Edward, you've got to stop."

He groaned, placing one last kiss on my jaw before he pulled away. "I guess one of us had to be the voice of reason, and apparently it's never me."

Giggling, I ran a finger down his chest. "Well, if you promise to behave this evening, then _I _promise to _mis_behave … All. Night. Long."

He playfully narrowed his lust-filled eyes. "You are an evil, evil woman, and I love you. How do I get through this evening now? I'm going to take a shower, a very _cold _shower."

"Okay, wear the outfit I've put on our bed."

"Since when do you pick out my clothes?"

"Since I didn't trust you not to wear holey sweats. Remember: best behaviour."

"Yes, Ma'am!" He gave me a mock salute and turned to leave.

"Oh and Edward?"

"Yeah, babe?"

I stood on my tiptoes to whisper seductively in his ear. "I can't wait to feel your thick, hard cock pounding into my tight, wet pussy later."

I had to bite back a laugh as I left him standing there, mouth agape.

.

.

"Is this dress okay, Mom?" Maddie asked me nervously as she hovered in the kitchen doorway. The jersey skater dress she wore had a white top and a floral-print skirt. She looked so beautiful. I was so proud of her, from the ends of her bronze curls to the tips of her perfectly French-pedicured toes. I found when I looked at the young woman she was, I mourned less the loss of the little girl she had been. In her place stood an incredible woman on the brink of adulthood and all the adventures it brought forth.

"It's perfect, honey," I told her, kissing her cheek. "And so are you."

We had agreed Aaron and Lexie would join us for the meal, but Edward and I wanted to sit down with Maddie and Riley first and have a chat. Lex complained that she was going to miss the 'good' stuff. When the doorbell rang at exactly 6:30 PM, Madison was out of the kitchen like a shot. I wiped my hands on my apron and followed her, Edward joining me in the foyer.

"Mom, Dad, this is Riley," Maddie said, gesturing to the guy who had just stepped inside.

Now I'm only going to say this once: Riley was _hot. _Yes, I'm aware how utterly wrong that sounds, and no one would ever be hotter than Edward in my eyes, but I was mentally giving Maddie a high-five. He was at least 6' tall, athletic, with short, messy light brown hair, and blue eyes behind black-framed glasses. But what I noticed more than his looks was the way he gazed at my daughter, like she was the only thing he could see. We were in serious trouble here.

.

**EPOV**

.

"It's lovely to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Cullen," _Riley_ said, holding out a bouquet of flowers. "These are to thank you for having me over."

"Thank you," my wife replied. "It's nice to meet you, too, Riley. Call me Bella."

"You can call me Mr. Cullen," I added firmly. "Or Sir."

"Would you like something to drink before dinner?" Bella asked.

"Just a water or soda, if that's okay—I'm driving." _Look at this punk trying to score points, _I thought. _It won't be that easy._

While Madison took him into the living room, Bella dragged me to the kitchen.

"I don't like him," I grumbled. "He's a kiss-ass."

"He's courteous, baby, that's all. You remember your promise, and I'll remember mine."

Damn, she had me over a fucking barrel. I poured Bella and me some wine while she checked on the salmon one more time before we took two sodas in for Maddie and Riley. They were sitting next to each other on the couch, but thankfully a respectful distance away.

"So," I said as Bella and I sat. "What is it you do, Riley?"

"I teach Math at NYU."

My eyes almost bugged out of my head. Was he fucking serious? I was right, he was a pervert with a penchant for young girls and he was getting nowhere near my daughter. Before I could tell him so, though, Bella spoke, rubbing circles on my lower back.

"Is that where you went to college?"

"I got my BS in Mathematics at the University of Chicago, but then I went to NYU for my PhD. I'm about to start my first year as a full-time faculty member."

"So you're definitely going back in the fall?" I asked.

"Yes, I'll be going back next month."

"Let's say, _hypothetically_, we let you date Madison. How is this even going to work?"

"Dad," she said, "long distance isn't ideal, but there's email, cell phones, Skype … it would be worth it."

They looked at each other, and even I could see the love in their eyes, as much as it pained me to even think it. "This is your senior year," I reminded her. "Have you even thought how difficult it will be to manage your studies, job, friends and a relationship?"

"Yes, I have, but I really believe I can get the right balance."

The timer in the kitchen went off, and Bella got up. "Maddie, come help me with dinner?"

Our daughter looked utterly horrified at the prospect of leaving me and Riley alone—hell, even I was surprised Bella was trusting me.

"It's fine, Maddie," he told her, even though he did look a bit scared. _I'm succeeding in my mission then. _

She gave me a stern look as she followed Bella out of the room.

"Mr. Cullen, can I start by assuring you your daughter means the world to me. Our ages are controversial, I know, but she is the most wonderful person I have ever met, and I promise I will treat her right."

I eyed him carefully. "Listen Riley, I promised my wife I would be civilised, but that doesn't mean I can't be blunt. It's my right as a father to grill any guy my daughter brings home, especially one who is seven years older than her. Now I want to know, what's wrong with women your own age?"

"I understand why you're protective, Mr. Cullen. I fought my feelings for your daughter because of our age difference at first. But the simple answer to your question is this: there's nothing _wrong _with women my age … but they're not Madison. She's an incredible young woman, and I can honestly say I love her with all my heart."

I grunted. Maybe Bella was right; maybe I was a Neanderthal.

"It's not ideal, our age gap," he continued. "Part of me wants her to have the usual college experience, not be tied down with a steady boyfriend. I don't want her to regret anything. But more than that, I want her to be happy, and if I make her happy, then I'm going to thank my lucky stars and do my utmost to make sure she stays that way."

"And if I refuse to grant permission?"

"I won't defy you, Sir," he said, "but I will stay her friend until she turns eighteen and can legally see who she wishes. This isn't a game for me, I'm in for the long haul, so six months is nothing. For Madison, I'd wait however long it takes."

I couldn't help but smile at that; I had thought the same thing before Bella and I were a couple, when she kept refusing me. The thought made me sigh.

"Riley, I won't pretend I like this. Madison is my daughter and no one will ever be good enough for her. That's a fact. But I see how you two look at each other, and it reminds me of Bella and myself. If we give you our blessing, I want your promise you will respect my daughter and treat her like the princess she is."

He looked me in the eye solemnly. "You have my word."

I nodded slowly. "I'm giving you one chance, Riley. _One._ Don't forget Maddie's grandfather used to be a cop—he threatened to kill me if I hurt Bella, and I'm pretty sure he still knows how to make someone disappear if they hurt his granddaughter. And I, for one, would be only too glad to assist him. You hear me?"

He gulped. "Loud and clear, Sir."

.

.

Dinner was better than I'd imagined; I wasn't exactly friendly, but I wasn't rude or overly hostile either. It would take a while for me to get my head around it. At the end of the evening, I pulled Bella aside and asked if she was okay with this. We both agreed to give Riley a chance.

After he had left, Bella and I sat Maddie down and covered the ground rules for seeing him. We were acquainted with the Biers' from when Maddie and Charlotte used to go swimming together in elementary school. All facts pointed to them being a good, upstanding family, but we still needed to know where our daughter was going with Riley, and we reminded her of her school night curfew of 10:30 PM. It was for her safety, as well as our peace of mind. If her school work got slack, we reserved the right to stop her going on dates, and if Riley was over at our house, they were to stay downstairs.

The kids had all gone down to the basement for movies and video games, probably ending up passing out down there. I was sitting on the bed taking my shoes off when I felt the bed dip a little. Bella climbed behind me and began to massage my shoulders. Her words had been playing on mind and I was horny as fuck.

"You were such a good boy tonight, baby," she purred. "I think you deserve a reward."

I groaned, deep and low. _Fuck yeah. _

"How do you want it, Edward? Slow and long, or hard and fast?"

How can you expect a guy to choose? "God, I want it any and every way, baby."

"Yeah?" she asked, nipping at my neck. "You want me to straddle you, slowly sinking down on your thick, hard dick until I'm riding like a cowgirl at a rodeo? You want to feel me fuck you as my tits bounce up and down? You want—"

Her words were cut off by my lips as I turned, joining her up on our knees. She reached her hand down as we kissed, rubbing my cock through my slacks, making me buck my hips against her.

When we broke apart, we quickly stripped off our clothes, throwing them haphazardly onto the floor. "Sit back and don't touch," she instructed, watching as I propped myself up against the pillows.

I watched, enraptured, as she sensually cupped her breasts, tweaking her hard nipples. "Baby, I've got to touch you," I said, my voice husky and strained.

She began kissing my chest, running her fingers over my abs. "Patience, baby." She took her mouth ever lower, down past my happy trail, licking my hipbones.

"Bella, please!"

"What do you want, Edward?" she asked innocently, her mouth hovering over my swollen cock. I could feel her hot breath. I needed to feel it. "Tell me and I'll give it to you."

"Fuck," I cursed, "I want your mouth on my dick … I need you to suck me, baby."

She grinned wickedly and took me in. Bella's mouth was a little piece of heaven to me. The sucking, licking, teasing ... she was a hot little vixen and gave the best head I'd ever known. She hollowed her cheeks and sucked me so tightly, I thought I was going to blow my load, especially when she took me all the way back, her nose pressed into my pubic bone.

"Holy _fuck_!" I hissed. "That's it, baby … oh yeah, my beautiful, dirty girl … you love my cock, don't you? _Christ, _are you touching yourself, Bell?"

Bella had her hand between her legs, teasing her pussy. My girl was horny and I needed to do something about it.

"Do you want me inside of you?" I asked with a smirk.

She released my dick with a 'pop' and crawled up my body. "God, yes." Before I could say anything more, she straddled me. I could feel the heat coming from her pussy already and she wasn't even touching me.

I placed my hands on her hips and slowly, inch by inch, she sank down onto my length.

"_Fuck,_" I cursed as Bella moaned. She felt like liquid fire, sliding up and down my cock like a damn greased pole. I guided her as we set a rhythm that suited us both, feasting my mouth on her tits bouncing in front of my face. When she had the pace established, I moved my hands to squeeze her ass cheeks. Our eyes were locked in a love and lust-filled gaze, keeping our connection as Bella rode me on to our mutual pleasure.

The familiar tingling was there deep inside me and I could tell Bella was getting close. I began to thrust up harder to meet her hips, making her bite down on her lip so hard I was worried she would draw blood.

"You're so deep inside me," she moaned softly. "I love feeling every inch of your cock."

I groaned and began to roll her nipples and make circles around her clit. "Let go baby, let me feel it," I pleaded. "Let me feel those hot, sweet juices cover my dick."

Bella immediately clamped down on me as her orgasm hit her. She lost her pace as she rode the wave and I thrust up even faster and harder, keeping it going. Finally, my fast pace got too much for me and I couldn't hold off. I stilled inside her as I came, my head dropping to her shoulder as I was bathed in bliss. Bella's eyes were fluttering when I came back down, and I rolled us onto our sides, tucking her under my arm.

"I love you, Edward."

"Love you too, Bell."

I heard her breathing even out, and soon I joined her in slumber.

* * *

**Some of you have certain suspicions about Bella's symptoms, and all will be revealed in the next chapter, I promise!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Thanks to all reviewers and to A Jasper For Me for beta'ing!**

* * *

**Chapter 11**

**BPOV**

July turned into August, and for some reason I wasn't coping well with balancing work, home and family. The pressure really should have eased; Lexie was just out of plaster, Aaron was no longer grounded, and Madison was on cloud nine with Riley. But instead of finding a weight lifting off my shoulders, I felt more run-down than ever. I was snapping at people, making mistakes, and often found myself in tears. I decided to bite the bullet and make an appointment with my OB/GYN without Edward knowing.

My thoughtful husband suggested I go out with Rose and Alice and just relax, so I took him up on his offer and was meeting the girls for Chinese and drinks this evening. Although I wasn't due in the office today, I'd left a file I would need over the weekend and decided to go fetch it, bringing Starbucks for Edward, Emmett, Jasper and Alice. The latter was in her husband's office, and since the door was shut and the blinds down, I decided I definitely didn't want to know, leaving their coffees outside with a post-it note telling Alice I would see her later.

I found Edward in his office along with Emmett, both poring blueprints spread out on the conference table. They both looked up as I knocked on the open door.

"Belly!" Emmett yelled. "And you brought coffee … ooh, what's in the bag? Please tell me there's food?"

I laughed as I gave my husband a kiss. "Yes Em, there is food." He was already ripping it open.

"What brings you here today, love?" Edward asked me. "Not that I'm complaining."

"I just needed to pick something up and thought I'd see my favourite husband."

"Only husband."

"That's what you think," I said with a snicker, making him growl playfully, grabbing my ass.

"Hello, I am here, you know," Em said through a mouthful of chocolate brownie.

Edward sighed. "Like we could forget."

I checked my watch. I was going to be rushing if I didn't get a move on. "I've got to get on, baby, but I'll see you tonight, okay? I won't be late."

"Have a nice time," Edward said, kissing me once more. "Try to relax and enjoy."

"Will do. I love you."

"I love you, too."

"Bye, Em!" I called. He waved at me as he was currently taking a bite out of a sandwich, and I left them to it.

I was so sure I'd left the file on my desk, but I couldn't find it anywhere. I was getting seriously pissed, so when a call came through from the interior design reception, I snapped at them. "What?!"

_"Oh … I'm so sorry, Bella,_" our secretary, Jessica, said. "_I didn't mean to disturb you but I heard you were in the building. There's a Victoria Trackwell-Blythe on the line."_

I cursed under my breath, counting to five. "Can it wait 'til Monday?"

"_She says not."_

"Okay, patch her through. Thanks, Jess … sorry for snapping."

_"That's okay, Bella."_

I pressed the phone between my ear and shoulder as I rifled through my desk drawer again.

"_Isabella!_" Victoria said chirpily. "_I'm so glad I caught you."_

"Hello, Victoria. I trust everything is still okay with the house?"

_"It's absolutely out of this world! That's what I'm calling to discuss. James and I are so pleased with the results, we just _have _to host a party to celebrate the renovation, and you and Edward simply must come. You'll be the guests of honour. I won't take no for answer."_

Shit! How the hell did I get out of this? "When is the party, Victoria?"

"_Well, we're off on vacation in a week, and we're just so busy, we decided to wait and hold a big do at New Years'. _

Was this woman insane? It was August and she was ringing me about a New Years' Eve party?

"I'll have to discuss it with my husband …"

"_Oh, of course! I'll mark you down as a 'yes' anyway, but I'll send you an invitation with details including the dress code, naturally. Shall I send it to your office or home address?"_

No way in hell was I giving this woman my home address. "Office, if that's okay, Victoria."

"_Of course, Isabella. Well, I'd love to stay and chat but I've got an appointment at the spa this afternoon. Send Edward my love. Ciao!"_

The line went dead and I put the receiver back to the cradle, banging my head against the desk. _Just what I needed. _

.

.

Victoria's phone call had made me late, so I found myself rushing to make my appointment with Dr Kachiri. She was about sixty, with mocha skin and short dark hair which was now interspersed with greys. She had been my OB/GYN since I moved from Florida and had delivered all three of my children.

"Hi, Bella," she said, giving me a welcoming smile as I came into her office. "Take a seat."

I pulled up the chair opposite her desk.

"So, what brings you here today? According to your file, you're not due for your yearly for another four months."

Taking a deep breath, I launched into my suspicions. "I think I'm starting early menopause."

She raised her eyebrows. "What makes you think that, Bella?"

"My periods have gone haywire; I had two really close together, quite light, and then a _really_ light one last month. Even though I stopped my Pill for the week last Monday, I still haven't got my period this month. Plus I keep having hot flushes, I'm emotional and snappy, my breasts are tender, and I've been getting headaches. I'm tired a lot but when I try to sleep, I can't."

Dr Kachiri nodded contemplatively, peering at me over the top of her glasses. "Well, I can see why you have come to that conclusion, Bella, and those symptoms could all be signs of early menopause. Forty-two is slightly young though, so I'd like to investigate further. I wonder …" She paused, reaching into her desk drawer. "Before you hop up on the table, I'd like a urine sample and some bloods."

She gave me the specimen bottle and I went to do my business, successfully but not easily managing to fill it. After she had drawn the blood, both that and the urine sample were sent off to the lab, I assumed, and I put on the gown she provided, climbing onto the table and placing my feet in the stirrups.

"Alright, let's get this done." Dr Kachiri asked rhetorically. "Once a year's bad enough, eh?"

I chuckled under my breath, shut my eyes and went to my (non-sexual) happy place, trying to ignore the probing down below.

"Okay, Bella," she said finally, snapping off her gloves. "I'm going to see if the results of your urine test are back. Stay on the table for me, but you can take your feet out the stirrups."

I admit it, I started to worry. By the time she came back in, I was full-on panicking, my mind conjuring up all sorts of scenarios, each one worse than the last. Dr Kachiri was smiling though, carrying a clipboard in her hands as a cart was wheeled in.

"Well, Bella," she said. "We've solved the mystery and I think it's safe to say you are definitely _not _going through early menopause: you're pregnant."

I think my jaw about hit the floor.

It was as if she'd said those words in a cave and they were echoing all around, becoming more and more muffled. It was a good job I was lying down already. Finally, I recovered my motor skills enough to speak. Okay, so maybe not speak, but sputter. "But … periods? I ... I mean … God … _forty-two _… _pregnant?_"

Dr Kachiri nodded. "It was my first thought when you told me your symptoms, though I admit peri-menopause was a possibility. We're still waiting on the blood results, but your urine test showed high levels of hCG. When did you first notice a change in your periods?"

I could still feel adrenaline coursing through me as I counted back, working out dates in my head. "My last _regular_ period was the second week in May. In June I bled lightly twice and then again in July."

She looked down at her notes. "That agrees with my estimates from your examination. I would say you are about ten weeks pregnant, but an ultrasound will give us a more accurate reading. Normally, I would let you wait until your husband could join you, but having a baby later in life brings higher risk, so I'd like to have a look, if that's okay?"

In my shocked haze, I hadn't noticed the technician setting up the machine. I nodded, feeling the cool jelly being put on my stomach. I didn't _look_ ten weeks pregnant.

When the thump of a heartbeat sounded in the room, I felt mine increase rapidly. I was too freaked out to feel awe and love at the sight and sound before me … all I felt was shock. I couldn't connect the baby on the screen with my own body.

When the machine was switched off and my belly wiped clean, Dr Kachiri turned to me and smiled. "Everything seems to be going well. As I suspected, you are about ten weeks gone, which means your due date is approximately March 3rd. Why don't you get dressed and we'll go talk over at my desk?"

I nodded slightly, getting to my feet shakily and going to change behind the curtain.

"This is obviously a surprise to you, Bella," she said. "As with any expectant mother, I can provide you with information about your options."

I shook my head. Even in my stunned state, I knew there was only one option for me.

"Okay then, do you have any questions for me?"

"How could this have happened?" I asked, my lip trembling. "That contraceptive has worked for us for almost fifteen years. I take it religiously and it has never failed."

"As you know, no contraceptive is 100% effective. Did you have unprotected sex during your last period? Or were you put on any antibiotics?"

I shook my head.

"Any other medications at all?"

"No," I told her, trying to recall going to pick up a prescription. "Apart from the odd Tylenol, there's been nothing … wait, I had an allergic reaction to something in the park back in May. The doctor gave me something … " Try as I might, I couldn't remember the name.

"Was it Phenergan?"

"That sounds familiar."

She smiled knowingly. "It's less widely known, but certain antihistamines can interfere with the oral contraceptive, especially this one. Obviously you now need to stop taking your Pill immediately along with any caffeine, alcohol, smoking etcetera. I'll give you a leaflet with all things you need to avoid. Have you been experiencing any nausea?"

"No, not at all."

"Well, that's a good thing. Every pregnancy is different, Bella, so you might have different symptoms to your others. I'm here to answer any questions you may have."

I nodded robotically, thinking back to my pregnancy with Lexie. Or more specifically, the period after she was born. "Dr Kachiri, you remember what happened after Lexie's birth … does that mean it's guaranteed to happen again?"

She shook her head. "No, Bella; while the risk is higher, having previously experienced postpartum depression doesn't automatically mean you will have it again. There are many factors involved, and remember, at the time, you had three young infants. Things may be totally different this time around, but if not, we always have the medication." She looked at me over the rims of her glasses. "As you know, stress is not healthy for you or the baby, and I think it is probably why you have been having so many headaches. I would advise you to seriously cut back on your hours; pregnancy over the age of thirty-five puts you and the baby at a higher risk, pregnancy over forty even more so. I'll give you some pamphlets and a prescription for pre-natal vitamins."

Dr Kachiri tapped away on her computer, bringing the printer to life, and rifled through her desk drawer, handing me a thick handful of literature. "I'd like to see you every two weeks due to your age, Bella, and I would strongly recommend an amniocentesis in approximately eight weeks. All the information is in those leaflets. Oh, and don't forget these."

She passed me several copies of the ultrasound and a disk case. I looked to her in question.

"It's a DVD of the ultrasound," she said with a grin. "Things have changed since the last time you did this."

_Yes, _I thought. _They certainly have._

.

.

I walked out of the clinic, not hurrying my pace to get out of the fine summer rain. When I got to my car, I just sat there, staring at the women going in and out, some with round little bellies. Soon that would be me, apparently.

My mind was a jumbled mess. I knew we could and would do it, but what freaked me out more was that right now I didn't know if I _wanted _to do it. Edward and I had been looking ahead and getting ready for a new stage in our lives; within four years, Lexie would leave for college and we would be us again. I had been coming to terms with the fact those days were looming, and I'd gotten used to the idea. We were looking forward to the new chapter in our lives. Now we had to go back to the start? I'd be over sixty by the time this baby left for college. That realisation freaked me the fuck out and I just had to leave.

I drove around in a daze, surprised I didn't get into an accident. How would Edward take this? Normally I could predict his reactions, but for the first time, I really, really didn't know. What if he left me? Would I be left to raise our baby alone? Or worse, what if he stayed but ended up resenting me for keeping him at home when he could have been off globe-trotting? A voice in my head said I was being stupid, but I couldn't help it. I needed to talk to someone; I needed to sort through my own emotions before I dealt with Edward's.

I wasn't altogether surprised when I found myself outside Hale Autos. Although Rose was still part of the Cullen family, like me she wasn't a blood relation, so she could take a more objective angle than Alice.

From inside the garage, an overall-clad Rose came out wiping her hands on a rag. "Hey, B. I was just finishing up. Alice called; Jasper and JJ have stomach flu so she's had to bail. We can still go, though, right?"

I frowned. "Go where?"

"You know, that new Chinese place? Drinks after? Any of this sounding familiar?"

"Oh, right."

"Are you okay?" she asked.

I gave a shaky laugh, though it lacked humour. "I guess. Let's talk over dinner."

She didn't look convinced, but didn't press me. "Okay, well let me just go get changed and I'll be with you."

Ten minutes later, Rose emerged looking like she'd been at a beauty salon all day, not working with greasy engines. I volunteered to drive, an offer which she readily accepted. I ordered a mineral water while she got herself a gin and tonic. She eyed me over the rim of her glass.

"Alright, B, what's going on?"

For all the need to talk, I suddenly found myself lost for words. After opening and closing my mouth like a goldfish a few times, I pulled one of the ultrasound photos from my purse and put it on the table in front of her. At first she looked confused, then she picked it up and read the 'Cullen' surname under her breath. Her eyes widened comically as she looked from the ultrasound to me then to my still-flat belly, as if expecting it to blow up like a beach ball at any moment. She made the circuit about three times before she blew out a breath.

"Holy fucking shit!" she exclaimed, making the people at the table next to us turn and stare.

"You can say that again. I'm turning forty-three next month, Rose! I had an appointment at my OB/GYN today because I thought I was having early menopause!" I was getting myself in a state now, which I knew wasn't good for the baby, but that in turn set off another round of panic.

"Okay, deep breaths," Rose said, almost as if I was going into labour now. Gah! Would my brain please shut up?! Thoughts like that were not helping!

"What the fuck am I going to do, Rose? Mine and Edward's whole future just changed in the amount of time it took a doctor to shove her fingers up my cooch!"

"I'm guessing you haven't spoken to Edward yet?"

"I just can't go into that until I sort my head out a little. If he flips his shit, like I suspect he will, I need to be at least one step up from a neurotic mess!"

She nodded thoughtfully. "I get that … but are you really able to keep this big of a secret from him? Especially with the state you're in?"

I shook my head slowly.

"I didn't think so. Look B, I'm always here to talk to, but I don't think you're going to find any resolutions or answers here with me in a Chinese restaurant, unless you plan on living your life by whatever comes out of the fortune cookies."

My lips twitched into a small smile.

"I think once you get over the shock, you are going to be very happy," Rose continued.

"I'm terrified I won't be," I said, feeling tears prick my eyes. "What's wrong with me that I don't feel pregnant? I looked at that ultrasound on the screen and I couldn't connect the image to my own body. What kind of a woman does that make me?"

"One who's just learnt she's going to be a mother again at forty-three. Look, I know where this is coming from—you're afraid it's going to be like after Lexie all over again—but you need to stop being so hard on yourself." Rose squeezed my shoulder encouragingly. "I can't imagine what you're going through. From trying to get your head around thinking you were reaching the end of your fertile years … and then finding out someone had taken up residence in the abandoned shop, if you catch my drift."

"I thought I put the closed sign up years ago," I joked half-heartedly.

She chuckled. "Evidently someone didn't get the memo."

I smiled a little as I unconsciously rested my hand over my belly.

* * *

**Ok, so some of you didn't want this to happen, but this was my plan from the beginning.**

**How do you think Edward will respond?**


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

**EPOV**

Bella had been so stressed out recently. I knew work was kind of tough right now, and really we needed another staff member or two. I suspected there was more going on, though, but I didn't push her. I was just glad she had gone for a night out with Rose and my sister. The kids were all out to stay at friends' tonight, and to be honest, it was kind of nice to have the place to myself for once. I had full control of the remote and I didn't have anyone to drive around or any bickering to break up. I could kick back with some takeout and a beer.

I was flicking through the channels trying to find something decent to watch when I heard the front door open. I checked my watch; it was only just 7 PM. I looked around as Bella came into the living room, her expression difficult to read.

"Baby, what are you doing home?" I asked, getting to my feet. "Is everything okay?"

"Edward, you might want to sit down; I have something to tell you."

"Oh God, what's happened?!" I asked, my heart literally in my throat. Needing to sit down for news was never a good sign.

"Everyone's fine," Bella assured me. "I'm sorry I scared you, but we do still need to talk." Those words never boded well either. Slowly, I sat back down, watching as she walked over to the DVD player and slipped in a disk she'd pulled from her purse. I couldn't see what it was.

When the black and white image came up on the screen, I recognised what it was instantly. It may have been fifteen years since I last set eyes on one of these, but I knew an ultrasound when I saw one. At first I wondered why Bella would be showing me this. Then it hit me at the same time my eyes zeroed in on 'Cullen' in the corner. She'd had something on her mind recently … she thought this was news I needed to sit down for … Bella had clearly found this disk in Madison's things.

My wife watched my face carefully as I stood up abruptly. "Where are you going?"

"I've got a guy to threaten," I said matter-of-factly. "I knew Riley was a sleaze, playing the friend card when all along he'd knocked up my baby girl!"

"Edward …"

"Christ, how long have you known?! I mean, I don't believe you would keep this from me, anyway, this had to have been recent; she only met him at the beginning of summer!"

"Edward!" she shouted. "Madison is not pregnant … _I am_."

I laughed humourlessly. "That's not funny, Bella!"

"You're right; it's _not _funny! It's scary and crazy and life-changing, but it is definitely not _funny_!"

It was one of those moments you feel the world tilt on its axis. My heart was thudding in my ears as I stared at her; her face was 100% serious and her hand rested on her belly. But still, I couldn't believe it. I looked from the screen to Bella's stomach and back again. The adrenalin was pumping through my veins, the shock settling over me … and before I could stop it, I freaked the fuck out.

"What the _hell_?!" I exclaimed, my voice slightly higher than normal. "A baby? A fucking _baby_? We can't have a baby!"

"Why not, Edward?!"

"Because, Bella, we've done babies; been there, done that, got the t-shirt covered in spit-up! We have three teenage children who in just four years will all have left home. I mean, I know you were taking them growing up hard, but _Christ_! You couldn't have discussed this with me first? Did it ever occur to you I might not want another baby?! After what happened last time …"

Bella narrowed her eyes at me and spun on her heel, leaving the room.

"Where are you going?!" I asked as I followed her upstairs.

"Away from you!"

In our bedroom, she went into our closet, pulled out a bag and began to throw things in. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" I asked her.

"What does it look like? I'm leaving."

"Bella, why can't you understand; we are too old to become parents again!"

"I'm well aware of how old we are! We're in our forties, Edward, but we're not dead! Have you even considered how I am feeling in all this? I'm so, so scared! But unlike you, _I _can't just pretend it isn't happening, because this baby is inside of me! So you say we can't be parents again? Well, too late; it's already fucking happening! And if you dare suggest the other alternative, then I don't know who the hell you are!"

I tugged on the ends of my hair. "Bella-"

"You know what I realised tonight, Edward?" she asked, zipping up her bag. "Despite the panic, the shock and the fear, I realised this baby wasn't just a thing, a nameless, faceless shape on a screen. He or she is a person, they are our son or our daughter and they have just as much right to be loved and brought into this world as Madison, Aaron or Lexie!"

With that, Bella turned and fled out the door. I followed her all the way to the car, of course, but it was to no avail. She was too hurt and angry, and to be honest, I was too dazed to say anything of any worth. I walked back into the house in a stupor, the TV now emitting a blue glow since the DVD had timed out. I sat and put my head in my hands. Even in my numb state, I knew I had said abhorrent things. My words had made Bella think I wanted her to get an- _no, _I couldn't even think the word. The only defence I had was a combination of shock and fear; this news was a curveball straight out of left field and it terrified me. I heard pregnancy and it brought all sorts of worries to my mind. But like a dumbass, I'd just plain and simply freaked out on my wife.

I picked up the remote and began the DVD. I watched it again and again, focusing on all the little things I missed before: the way he or she seemingly danced about, the flailing tiny arms and legs, and most of all, the strong little heartbeat. And suddenly, despite my fears and all the other bullshit, my own heart just expanded to make room for this little person. I wasn't surprised to find silent tears running down my cheeks.

Bella had every right to leave after the way I reacted. She must have been so terrified, and I hadn't been there for her. I instantly knew I had to go find her. It felt utterly wrong for us to be apart and I needed to know she was okay. I had to make her see that even in my current state, I was going to be there every single step of the way. I was still a bit numb and my mind was going a mile a minute, but I knew deep down Bella and I would find a way through this. So, our lives were going to be different now … well, life's full of surprises. How could this innocent little baby be anything but a blessing? As Bella said, he or she was already on their way. Throwing a tantrum because plans and dreams were out the window was ridiculous and not what my wife needed from me. I could come to terms with this later ... Bella needed me.

I knew she would have gone to either Rosalie or Alice, but I put my money on the former. My sister could extract information from the most hardened criminal, and I didn't think this was how Bella wanted to share the news. When I saw her car in my brother's driveway, I breathed a sigh of relief.

"I was wondering how long it would take you to turn up," Rose said as she answered the door. "I'd smack you if I didn't think you were beating yourself up already. Normally, I'd tell you to wait 'til the morning and give her some space … but she doesn't really want to be here tonight. She needs you. Just don't fuck it up, and for God's sake, think before you open your mouth next time."

She pointed me in the direction of the living room and I poked my head around the door. The look on Bella's face as she turned around just about broke my heart. She was so lost and scared, and it killed me to know I had been the one to put it there.

"What are you doing here, Edward?" she asked, her voice a mixture of frustration, hurt, and resignation.

"I'm here to take you home, of course."

.

.

**BPOV**

The drive home was quiet. Neither of us wanted to talk just yet, but Edward kept a firm grip of my hand on the console. Maybe I should have refused to come home after how he acted, but really, it was where I wanted and needed to be. He had flipped out and I had reacted in turn. Rose reminded me of my own freak-out, and said Edward was probably just going through the same emotions. She had a point.

He led me inside and we took a seat on the couch. Everything was the same, yet different somehow.

"Bell, I need to apologise for freaking out on you," Edward began. "I said things I shouldn't have and I know I messed up. I was so lost in my own head, I didn't stop to think how you were feeling in all this, and I'm so sorry for that. I want you to know I'm going to be here every step of the way."

They were the words I needed to hear in my emotional, vulnerable state, and I couldn't help but launch myself at him. "I'm scared," I whispered as he held me tight. "I'm scared of all the dangers for the baby, I'm scared how hard this is going to be, and I'm terrified the depression will happen again. But I've never been as scared as when I thought I might have to do this alone …"

Edward stroked my hair soothingly. "I'm sorry, baby. I promise I'll never give you reason to doubt me again. We can deal with all the other fears together, okay?" he said as he kissed my forehead. "You're everything to me, Bell. You and the kids ... and even though I'm still having a bit of a meltdown, I do include this little one in that." He placed a hand on my belly.

I'd noticed earlier that although there wasn't a noticeable baby bump, I did look a little thicker around the middle. With Madison, my bump had been noticeable early on because I previously had a taut, perfectly-flat stomach. By the time I became pregnant with Lexie, I didn't show as early because I wasn't as toned as I'd once been.

"How far along are you?" Edward asked. "There's quite a lot of movement on the ultrasound."

"Ten weeks," I told him. "It was the anti-histamines interfering with my Pill. I swear I didn't try to do this, Edward."

"I know," he replied, kissing my lips. "I'm so sorry I said that. How long have you known, or suspected?"

I launched into my tale of my trip to Dr Kachiri, and I could tell he felt bad I had gone alone. He said he wished I'd confided in him about my symptoms and suspicions of early menopause. In the end, though there was still so much more to discuss, I couldn't keep my eyes open. Edward tidied up the living room while I went to get ready for bed. We didn't want the kids to find the ultrasound. Jesus, how on earth would this bombshell go down with them? I suspected Maddie would be okay with it- shocked as hell, but okay. Aaron was hard to call. He'd probably find it utterly gross to have it confirmed that his father and I were still having sex. As for Lexie … I really couldn't say. She would either be thrilled at the prospect of a little sibling, something she'd never had, or feel pushed out of her role as the baby of the family.

I had just slipped between the cool sheets when Edward came upstairs. He quickly stripped down to his boxer-briefs and slid in behind me, my back to his bare chest. As I drifted off, I felt his hand snake around and rest on my belly. That was the first moment since I found out that I felt true, unadulterated joy.

.

.

The next morning, I awoke to Edward resting his head on my stomach. He used to talk to it all the time in my other pregnancies, sometimes driving me insane. As I wound my fingers through his silky, soft hair, I was instantly overwhelmed with emotion that we had this chance to do it again.

"What you doing down there?" I asked.

Edward looked up at me. "If I'm honest, I'm still trying to get my head around it. I wonder if the kid would like to live in Florida- excellent retirement homes."

"Cut it out, Edward," I said. "Stop talking like you'll be geriatric. It's unconventional, but plenty of women have babies in their forties nowadays."

He sighed. "I know, Bell. It's just messing with my head."

"Yeah, well it's messing with mine, too," I grumbled. "Listen, Maddie's working today and Aaron and Lexie won't be back 'til at least lunchtime, so let's use the time we have alone."

He raised a suggestive eyebrow.

"Not like that, you perv!" I exclaimed. "That's what got us into this situation in the first place!"

"Come on, then. I'm taking you out for breakfast. Gotta keep Little Momma fed. Christ, I never thought those words would leave my lips again."

After a quick, chaste shower together, Edward drove me to our local diner. When he realised I couldn't have coffee with our breakfast, he joined me in a glass of orange juice; my husband wasn't stupid. Well, not all the time.

"Dr Kachiri wants me to cut back on my hours," I told him as I recounted the details of the appointment. "And so do I."

"I agree," Edward said, nodding. "Bella, you've been really struggling to deal with everything recently. I may not know much, but I do know pregnancy at this age already puts you both at higher risk, and I just can't bear the thought of something happening. Your job isn't going anywhere; it will still be there when you want to come back. Does anyone else know apart from Rose?"

"No, but we can't keep it from them for long."

He ran a hand through his already-messy hair. "You're right, but I'd like you to be out of the first trimester. Why don't we wait until after the twelve week appointment?"

I understood his reasoning; there was a seriously increased chance of miscarriage in the first twelve weeks. "Edward," I said tentatively, "we can do this, right?"

He took my hand on the table top and brought it to his lips. "Bell, we can do anything."

.

.

The week that followed was bizarre … our lives had shifted so fundamentally, it seemed utterly banal to do things like put a load of laundry on. Edward seemed to be finding an outlet for his fears and astonishment in the form of lame jokes about our age. He was beginning to get on my nerves. Yes, we were older than average, but he made it sound like we had one foot in the grave already. Although, if he kept up his 'comic' routine, he kind of did.

This morning, I was taking Lexie to her physical therapy, so I got up when Edward did. Or rather, I got up when the alarm went off and he rolled over. When I got to the bathroom, still bleary-eyed, I removed my pyjama top and let out a mini-scream at the sight of my body in the mirror. I had 'popped'. I'd gone to bed looking like I might have gained a couple of pounds, and woken up with a small, but defined, baby bump.

"What's going on?" Edward called from behind me. "I heard you scr- _holy shit_!"

I instantly felt self-conscious. "It's not like this wasn't going to happen sooner or later," I told him.

I opened the shower door and stepped inside, leaving him standing there, his jaw hanging open. I think it had just hit home in a way it never had before. My own shock from learning the news had (mostly) worn off, and as it became more real, my attachment to the baby grew stronger. Sometimes I would catch Edward looking at me, as if trying to ascertain if this was really happening. I understood where he was coming from; it probably wouldn't feel real to me either if I wasn't carrying the baby.

I had to carefully select a top that was loose enough to hide my stomach, and all through breakfast, Edward kept sneaking glances at me, or rather my belly. He seemed to go into his default mode of an unsuccessful comedian. I let several jokes go, but seriously did this man never know when enough was enough?

"At least this kid won't have to worry about drunk-dad-at-a-wedding dancing," Edward said, finishing up his cereal. I waited, irritated, for the punch line. "By the time they get married, with my hip replacement, I'll be lucky to get out my wheel chair. Maybe everyone could do the limbo under my cane."

I slammed the fridge door shut. "I don't know what's going on in your head, Edward, but you need to shape up or ship out. I've got three teenagers in this house-" I lowered my voice to a whisper, "-and a baby who will be here in six months; I don't need you acting like a big kid as well!"

He held up his hands in surrender. "I'm sorry. It's a defence mechanism, I guess."

"I'll show you a defence mechanism," I muttered under my breath. "It's called my fist."

"What?"

"Nothing!" I said through gritted teeth. We continued to move around the kitchen in silence, and I balled my hands into fists when he put his bowl on the side. How hard was it to load in the dishwasher?

"I've got to go, Bell," he said, leaning in to kiss me. I gave him my cheek. "I'll see you tonight. I love you."

No matter how annoyed I was or how much he pushed my buttons, I could never let him go without telling him the same. I sighed. "I love you, too, Edward."

* * *

**He's not an ass, he just needs some time! I'm not a parent nor am I married so I'm using my imagination here. :)**


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

**EPOV**

Bella and I emerged from Dr. Kachiri's office, new ultrasound pictures tucked safely in her purse. The doctor had helped ease my worries somewhat and I felt reassured the pregnancy would be closely monitored, as well as any signs of postpartum further down the line.

We had hit the end of the first trimester and agreed we absolutely had to tell the kids soon. Bella had been hiding her bump ever since that morning last week when she woke up looking … well, _pregnant_ … but we couldn't hide it for much longer.

A problem was finding the right moment to tell the kids; Madison had been spending almost every free moment she had with Riley before he'd left for New York yesterday morning. We (okay, Bella mostly) didn't want her to miss out on her last few days with him, but then we were faced with the prospect of dropping the bombshell while Madison was upset. Tomorrow was Lexie's birthday, so that was definitely not an option, and on Tuesday, school started. The whole thing was making my head hurt.

Yes, it was the end of the summer break. Madison would be a senior, Aaron a junior, and Lexie a freshman. That definitely didn't help me to feel like a man ready to run the circuit again, ready for 3 AM feedings and dirty diapers. Those thoughts kept me up late into the night, and I began to wonder if this really was the onset of a mid-life crisis. The past two weeks had been … strange. Because Bella and I couldn't talk about the pregnancy unless in our own bedroom, and then only in hushed voices, the whole thing began to seem like a weird dream.

We had agreed Rose could tell my brother. We didn't feel comfortable asking her to keep our secret. Emmett may be a loud oaf most the time, but he wasn't a blabbermouth; our sister had the corner on that market. Once we had informed him of Bella's decision to severely cut back, we decided to advertise for two positions. Our interiors team consisted of Bella, Alice, two junior designers named Heidi and Senna, an intern, Chelsea, and Jessica on reception. We focused on quality, not quantity, but the workload was getting too much for everyone to deal with.

Bella and I stopped in the parking lot by our respective cars; we had driven separately as I had to go on to the office. I wouldn't admit it to her, but I was a bit relieved; Madison had been so emotional yesterday and I just didn't know what to say. Seeing her like that broke my heart … but any words out of my mouth just seemed to make her cry more.

"I'll see you this evening," Bella said, squeezing my hand. "I'm going to stock up on chocolate and ice cream to cheer Madison up."

"Okay, but don't get too stressed. You know what the doctor said. If you need me, call me." I pressed my lips to hers. "I love you, baby. Both of you."

We kissed goodbye a little more before I really had to leave. Luckily it was mid-morning, so the traffic had died down and it didn't take me long to get to work.

"Ed, my man!" Emmett yelled as I passed his office. "Pull up a pew."

"What's up?" I asked as I stepped inside, shutting the door behind me.

He lowered his voice. "Just wondering how things are going with you, Bella, and my nieces and nephew…_s_."

"Well, we're a few weeks away from finding out if you're right about _nephews _plural, but Bella and baby are healthy," I said, my own tone hushed. "Apart from them … I have one daughter who thinks the world is ending because her _boyfriend _has left the state, another who thinks the world is ending because she won't make the team this year, and a son who …" I stopped to think. "Actually, Aaron's the best of the bunch right now. That's worrying."

"I still can't believe you're letting Maddie date that guy!"

"Believe me, one strike and he's out. I'm not happy about it, but in five months she'll be eighteen. The last thing I need is to drive her away, and if I'm honest ... it really seems like he loves her."

Emmett grumbled a bit under his breath, when suddenly the door flew open, Alice's tiny figure flying through it and slamming it in a rage.

"Edward Anthony and Emmett Dale Cullen!" she yelled, the papers in her hands shaking. "What the hell are these? Résumés?! So, what, are you planning on replacing me and Bella?"

I could sense an Alice-tantrum coming on, and apparently, so could Emmett. He picked up the phone and dialed Jasper as I attempted to explain.

"Alice, you've got it wr-"

"I know I've got it right, Edward! How could you do this to Bella? To me? We've worked here the best part of twenty years!"

"Alice, would you just li-"

"Why should I listen to anything you have to say, you traitor?!"

On and on it went, with her cutting us off until finally the door opened and Jasper wrapped his arms around his wife. Alice calmed instantly. He would have been really handy to have around as kids.

"I think you should hear them out, sugar," he said.

I shot him a grateful glance as Emmett motioned for me to explain. I'd tell her the truth … just not the reason behind it.

"We are not getting rid of anyone, Alice," I said. "Despite the fact you and Bella are family, you are the best interior designers in the whole of Illinois, if not further. We were waiting to tell you together, but Bella is going to be stepping back for a period … a sabbatical of sorts. You've seen how stressed she has been recently and the doctor is concerned for her health." There, that wasn't a lie.

She narrowed her eyes, appraising me. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"We weren't expecting responses to come through _that _quickly," Emmett said. "We only put the ad out a few days ago."

"Will the new designer have a senior role too?"

I shook my head. "No, you will be sole senior designer on the team. Heidi's just not quite there yet."

After scrutinising us for a few minutes, she sighed. "I guess Bella has been very stressed lately."

I could tell she bought my explanation. However, I did wonder how long it would last before she began digging further for the truth.

.

.

**BPOV**

"Ooh, Ben and Jerry's!" Lexie exclaimed from the kitchen doorway. "Mom, you're the greatest!"

I'd stopped off at the store on my way back from the hospital and was in the middle of putting the groceries away, a tub of Phish Food in my hand. "Ah, but this Ben and Jerry's comes with a catch," I told her.

"What kind of catch?"

"Well, it's for Madison, so if you want some of the chocolaty-caramel-marshmallow goodness, you have to be prepared to endure her moping."

"You don't fight fair," she said, folding her arms.

I laughed at her disgruntled expression. "I never said I did, honey. Have you got everything for school on Monday? Because we won't have time this weekend if we've forgotten anything."

"Mom, you always think of everything. I'll be the best-equipped freshman there is."

"Are you looking forward to it?"

"Yeah, I am," Lexie said. "I guess I should feel nervous, but I don't scare easily."

"No, you definitely don't."

"Oh, I spoke to my friends about tomorrow, by the way ... they're all still coming."

"Tomorrow?" I asked, feigning ignorance. "Ah, yes, I think I recall a certain young lady is turning fifteen."

"See, that's why I should be allowed ice cream without stipulations."

I rolled my eyes. "Come on, Maddie wasn't that bad yesterday. Let's go see if she wants to watch a movie."

"Mom, I love you, but you're crazy. She _was _that bad yesterday."

"I'm going to remind you of this when you go through heartache."

Lexie shrugged. "But she knew he was leaving; she should have expected it."

"Just wait, honey. When you fall in love, knowing things like that won't change how you feel. It doesn't prepare you for the pain you experience. Come on, it's past midday; time to stage an intervention."

We went upstairs and I knocked gently on Maddie's door.

"Go away!" she called out, her voice thick and hoarse.

"No can do, sweetheart. You've had a day to wallow, now let us in."

Slowly, I heard the sounds of footsteps on her hardwood floor. She pulled the door open with force, angry with us for pulling her from her teen angst-fest. Her hair was pulled back in a bun, eyes red-rimmed, and she was wearing an NYU hoody over her pyjamas. It could have been worse; it could have been his t-shirt.

Her glower soon disintegrated as her chin quivered. I instantly pulled her into my arms. "I know you miss him, sweetheart, but three months will fly by. Or they _will_ if you keep busy. Now, I want you to dry those beautiful eyes, go get in the shower, and come downstairs and pig out with me and your sister … did I mention we have ice cream?"

"The _good_ ice cream," Lexie added. "I'll even let you choose the movie ... as long as it won't make you sad."

Maddie's lips twitched into a smile. "_The Notebook_?" she teased.

Lexie and I looked at each other before bursting out laughing. "Hell no!'"

.

.

"Breakfast!" I yelled. I really did need that gong. Birthday breakfasts were always something we had together as a family, so I'd been slaving in the kitchen for an hour. Edward appeared first, freshly showered and dressed in cargo shorts, a t-shirt and an undone plaid shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. He looked divine.

A smirk appeared on his face, and I knew I'd been caught checking him out. The mommy hormones were flowing and I really wanted him to take me on the table, especially when he sidled up behind me and snaked his arms around my waist. Now I had to cope with his scent too?! How was I supposed to not jump him?

"I know that look, Mrs. Cullen," he whispered deeply. "And I can guarantee if the kids weren't about to come join us, I would take you back to bed this instant … or better yet on the counter. I promise I will make it up to you tonight."

"You'd better," I moaned softly.

A voice cleared behind us. "Ugh. Less of the PDA ... Birthday Girl in the room!"

"Happy Birthday, honey!" Edward and I greeted her, giving her hugs and kisses that she squirmed away from.

"Thanks. Breakfast smells amazing."

I served up the last of it, completing the spread of omelettes, bacon, sausages, hash browns, juice and coffee.

"Happy Birthday, Lex," Aaron and Madison said as they came into the room, giving their sister a hug. To her credit, Maddie had tried really hard yesterday. She'd laughed at Lexie's jokes, kept the moping to a minimum, and ate ice cream like a champ. I knew she would make the same effort to be cheerful today for her sister, but I think she also understood she couldn't just wallow.

"When are we doing presents?" Lexie asked excitedly.

"Who says you get any," Aaron joked. "Maybe you'll get a lump of coal."

"That's Christmas, idiot!"

He shrugged. "Same difference."

They began to bicker, good-naturedly, which Edward and I finally decided to interrupt.

"You can have them whenever you want …" I said.

"… But once you open them, they're open," my husband finished for me.

Lexie thought about it as she chewed. "I guess I'll wait."

We finished breakfast, with Aaron and Maddie washing up while I went to get ready. Edward was hovering. The appointment yesterday seemed to have flicked a switch in him. His protectiveness had kicked in and I'd forgotten just how much he worried.

"Bell, are you sure today's a good idea?" he asked as I slipped my maxi-dress over my head. "Is it good to be outdoors all day? What if it rains? What if it's too hot? What if-"

I cut him off by pressing my finger to his lips. "Edward, stop. There are plenty of places to go inside if I get too hot or it starts to rain. All I'll be doing is sitting and chatting with our family, maybe a walk, _not_ riding the Wave Swinger. Stop worrying or the kids will wonder what's up."

He pressed a kiss on the pad of my finger and rested his hands on my belly. "We need to tell them soon, Bella. I think we should bite the bullet and break the news tomorrow night."

"Edward, school starts on Tuesday … it's not a good time."

"When will there ever be a 'good' time?"

I sighed. "You're right … but no sooner than tomorrow. Today is Lexie's day."

An hour later, we were on our way to Navy Pier. Maddie was driving her sister and friends, leaving Aaron with us. He promptly told us our music was 'lame' and put his earphones in, bobbing his head. I could hear it from the front seat- seriously, that boy would be deaf by twenty if he kept listening at that volume.

As soon as we reached our destination, I began to question my sanity. _Navy Pier on the last Saturday of the summer break? Why the hell did I ever agree to this? _I wondered to myself as we wove our way through the hordes. _Oh yeah, because this was what my daughter wanted to do for her birthday._

It was true; Lexie had even given me the Cullen pout AND the puppy dog eyes- the trademark look that every one of my children (and I'm including my husband in that category) had nailed to perfection. Fortunately, since there were so many of us, we had reserved a table for the day in the Navy Pier Beer Garden, so if we didn't want to traipse around, we could just stay here. That didn't seem like a bad plan, so we decided to 'set up camp' there before anyone went wandering off.

"Mom, is it okay if we go now?" Lexie asked me.

"Yeah, but stay at least in pairs ... don't split into a three and a one, okay?"

She rolled her eyes as if it was the stupidest question in the world. "We're fifteen, not five. We do know how to stay safe."

"I will always worry about you; it's my right as a mother. Ring us if you need us." They seemed to take that as permission to leave and began to walk away. "Be back by 2 PM for lunch!"

After a brief discussion, all the guys decided to go to the arcade- something about shooting bad guys and male bonding that apparently I would never understand. That left us girls to decorate the table. I watched Maddie sit with Esme, who had her arm around her. I could see the pain in her eyes, and I felt it for her. If I could deal with it in her place, I would, but I knew this was part of life. Sometimes relationships aren't easy, but tests such as this would either make it or break it. Either way, my daughter would come out of it stronger in the end. That didn't make it any easier to witness, though.

"Hey honey," I said, going over to where they sat. "How are you doing?"

"I'm okay, Mom. I just miss him so much … and then I'm angry with myself for turning into a complete lovesick teenage girl."

I laughed. "Well, you kind of have every right to that title," I said.

"I was just telling Maddie about when her grandpa and I were separated for a summer when we were dating," Esme told me. "I thought I'd never survive, and now look at us."

"Your Nana's right, Maddie. You've just got to focus on all the other great things you've got going on in your life. Your job, senior year, friends, looking at colleges. It's all there, baby girl." I tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. "I don't know if you feel up to it, but I'm sure Katie would love to go look around the shops."

"That's a good idea, Mom. I'll go find her." She got up and gave both me and Esme a kiss on the cheek.

We watched as Maddie went and spoke to her cousin, who promptly clapped her hands together in excitement. Together with Alice and Rose, we finished decorating the area with balloons, table confetti, streamers and banners.

"I don't know about you girls," Esme said, "but I could do with an ice cold margarita right now."

"I'll pass," I said. "Someone's got to be responsible and you just know Edward will probably be having a beer with the guys ... '_arcade' _my ass."

Rose and Esme volunteered to go to the bar, Alice launched into an inquisition.

"Why didn't you tell me you were stepping back at work?" she asked.

I bit my lip- was she angry at me now?

"Relax, Bella. I've calmed down since yesterday. I guess I just felt out the loop."

"I'm sorry. Working full-time has just been getting on top of me. We were going to tell you together … but you put paid to that yesterday," I told her with a smirk, recalling Edward's tale of Alice's flip out.

"I was so mad at them- it's kind of embarrassing. I've been looking through the résumés and have highlighted the ones I like. Ooh! It'll be just like X-Factor!" Her eyes lit up. "'That's a no from me!'"

She got excited about the strangest things. "Well, whoever we hire, if we ever have to do one of the Trackwells' homes again, they can be in charge. It's seriously not worth theheadache."

Alice laughed. "Speaking of them, have you RSVP'd their New Years' invite?"

"Shit!" I cursed. "I'd repressed that. Do we have to go?"

"Yes. You, Edward, Emmett and I made that house beautiful. We need to be there when it goes on display. We are artists, Bella, and this is our exhibit! Think what it will do for business."

I groaned, rubbing my temples. "I know, it's just … argh! That woman grates on me."

She waved a hand dismissively. "Victoria grates on everyone. From a business perspective, this will be a lucrative evening. From a personal one … let's just say I'll be making the most of the champagne and canapés."

Esme and Rose joined us with our drinks- three margaritas and a diet lemonade- and we fell into easy chatter. We shared stories about what our husbands had done that wound us up recently- Esme told us about Carlisle's rediscovered love of photography and his introduction into the world of Photoshop. Apparently he had been driving her up the wall just hanging around the house, so she was relieved he had something to keep him occupied, though if he asked for one more portrait of her, she would 'shove the camera where the sun didn't shine'.

When he returned with the guys, his quasi-professional Nikon around his neck, we couldn't help but laugh, which confused him no end.

Edward came up behind me, massaging my shoulders. "Do you want to go for a walk?"

"Yeah, that sounds good to me."

He took my hand and led me away. We ambled along the pier, dazzled by the expanse of sapphire water and a cornflower blue sky, interspersed with white, downy clouds. My eyes seemed drawn to the young families that went by; mothers chasing toddling little boys, fathers with daughters up on their shoulders, newborn babies in their strollers pushed by first-time parents. I began to get emotional. Would we really be able to do all this again? I didn't think I had the energy anymore.

"I'm tired, Edward," I said quietly.

"Do you want to go back?"

"No," I sniffled, "I don't mean like that. I keep seeing these young families and suddenly I feel about a hundred years old. After almost eighteen years of motherhood, I don't think I have the strength to go again."

Silently, he took my hand and led me over to a bench. Using his thumbs, his wiped the tears from my cheeks and looked me deep in the eyes. Now it was my husband's turn to convince me we could do this. "You, Mrs. Cullen, are the strongest person I know. There is not a single thing you would not do for our kids. It's going to be tough, but can you honestly say you will love this baby any more than our other children?"

I shook my head.

"You know," Edward continued, "that's why I was making those jokes. I thought if I could make it seem like a laugh, it wouldn't be so scary. But we've got through tough times before, and we can do it again- especially if we get another kid as great as Maddie, Aaron and Lexie out of the deal."

That made me smile. "They are pretty awesome."

"What did you expect with me as their father?" he joked, making me laugh and jab him in the ribs. "Feeling better?"

"Yeah. Thanks for always knowing what to say."

He raised an eyebrow.

"Okay, thanks for most of the time knowing what to say," I said with a giggle.

Hand-in-hand, we strolled slowly back to the beer garden. We spotted Aaron just outside, chatting to a girl with long red hair, exchanging numbers by the looks of things. I could tell Edward wanted to embarrass him, so I just dragged him to the table. Madison and Katie were back with several bags (no surprise there), but there was a smile on my daughter's face, though, so it couldn't be all bad. I think she actually enjoyed spending some time with Katie- being with Riley for those few weeks had been all-consuming for her, the way first love often is.

Everyone was back on time for lunch, and we tucked into a range of pizza, hot wings, hamburgers and Chicago style hotdogs. As for the cake, I'd ordered one from a bakery to be delivered to the restaurant. It was a dome shape, like half a football, iced with white and dark chocolate frosting to make the pattern of the ball.

"Happy birthday, dear Lexie," we sang, "Happy Birthday to you!"

"Make a wish!" Edward called, and she blew out the candles.

"This cake is awesome!" she said. "I can't choose whether to eat a slice now or open presents …"

In the end, we decided to cut into the cake right then, before Edward and I moved her presents so they were on the table in front of her. We'd had a long discussion about what to get for her, and it hadn't been an easy decision. Normally, she asked for something in particular, but she wasn't as fussed this year. She wanted to be surprised. I somehow suspected she would be.

After opening gifts from her friends and the rest of the family- books, DVDs, iTunes gift cards, sneakers etc. - her eyes fell upon the last three gifts. Was it wrong we'd only got her three? A main one and two little extras? I felt bad she had less to open, but this was not a cheap present.

"No way!" she shrieked as she ripped the paper. "No freakin' way! An iPad?!"

Yes, we had decided to buy her an iPad. The other two gifts were a protective cover and a keyboard dock so she could do her homework. Her laptop was getting old and slow, and judging by how she was always glued to the internet on her phone, this would be a good investment for her. Lexie clearly agreed, jumping up and hugging us tight.

"Thank you thank you thank you!" she squealed. "You guys are the coolest parents ever!"

Those words struck something inside of me. As everyone broke off into conversations, I wondered whether in another fifteen years, our fourth child would think the same. I doubted it somehow. As I was contemplating, my hand absentmindedly moved lower. Fortunately, Edward grabbed it before I could rest it on my bump.

If Lexie had had her way, she would have found an outlet to charge up the iPad right then and there. In the end she conceded it would be safer to wait until we got home.

"Seeing as though I can't play with it now," she said, "can we have some money for the arcade?"

I rolled my eyes, standing up to fetch my purse. It was her birthday treat, after all. I fished around inside and pulled my wallet out, holding out some bills. Lexie had bent down to ground to tie her sneaker, or that's what it looked like.

When she came back up, she had something in her hands, her face ashen. "Mom, why did _this _just fall out your bag?"

It was my ultrasound picture.

_Shit._


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

**EPOV**

From my seat at the table, I'd watched with a smile as my wife went to indulgently get Lexie some money for the arcade. I'd watched with detached interest as something fluttered to the floor from Bella's bag. That interest became anxiety as I saw what it was. And now I was watching in horror as Lexie asked the question, "Mom, why did _this _just fall out your bag?"

No one else had noticed the exchange, judging by the ongoing chatter around us. Bella and Lexie both seemed locked in a silent stalemate, neither one speaking again. My wife's eyes met mine, and that spurred me into action. I was at her side in an instant, wrapping an arm around her.

"Daddy," Lexie said shakily, "why would Mom have this in her purse?"

Bella and I looked at each other, and we knew we had no choice. This wasn't how we pictured breaking the news, but then again, what in our lives had ever gone as we'd imagined? Lexie's reaction so far to what she'd found wasn't great, but it was difficult to read.

"Honey, your mom and I have some news…"

She was aghast, her face a mask of horror. "You're not freakin' serious! Tell me this is some kind of joke!"

Okay, not so difficult to read after all.

"It's not a joke, sweetheart," Bella began, her voice pained. I tightened my hold on her.

"What the hell?! I thought it was only stupid teenagers who were dumb enough to get themselves knocked up!"

"Alexa Mae Cullen," I warned, "you do not speak to us that way. Ever."

"What's going on?" Madison said from behind us. Everyone at the table was looking at us in confusion.

"Wonderful news, Maddie!" Lexie said sarcastically, holding out the ultrasound picture. "Soon we'll have an itty bitty baby to play with!"

There were gasps and sounds of choking from the table. Aaron was spluttering from a sip of his soda while everyone stared, open-mouthed.

"I won't warn you again, Lexie," I said. "I think we need to take this home right now." We needed to discuss this, just the five of us; they needed to be told the facts and we needed to answer any questions they had. Before I could say any more though, Lexie promptly stalked off. I went to follow her but Madison put her hand on my shoulder.

"Dad, I'll get her," she said. "Then I'll go take her friends home." She looked shocked as hell, but managed a small smile before she followed her sister.

I ran a hand through my hair as Bella buried her face in my chest.

"Son," my dad said, "you guys go straight home. We'll get the check and tidy up here. I suspect there is a lot to discuss." He smiled at me, patting my shoulder. "Congratulations, though, both of you. We'll ring you in the morning."

"Thanks, Dad. Can you tell everyone we'll talk tomorrow? We've got to talk to the kids first."

"Of course."

Aaron didn't say much on the way back, and nothing about the news. He just put his iPod on and stared out the window. We had to wait a little while for Madison and Lexie to get home, but when they did, we all went straight into the living room. Bella and I sat on one couch, my arm around her, while the kids sat opposite. Madison sat back comfortably, smiling at us, Aaron looked uncomfortable, while Lexie … well, she was pissed.

"Okay," Bella said, "I would like to apologise for how you found out, but yes, we are having another baby. I've just past my twelfth week; we were going to tell you tomorrow."

"We didn't try to get pregnant," I pointed out. "I won't say 'mistake' but it was an accident." They all grimaced at the implication of their parents having sex. "Please remember we love you _all _equally and having another baby is not going to change that. Ever."

"We know that, Dad," Maddie said. "Personally, if you two are happy, I'm happy. I mean, yeah, it's kind of strange, but I think it's exciting."

"I'll second that," Aaron said, which surprised me a little. "I mean, it shocked the hell out of me and I think it's pretty gross, and I definitely won't be on baby-duty … but it's cool in a weird way."

"Are you guys out of your minds?!" Lexie exclaimed. "It's not 'cool' or 'exciting'! It's screwed up and just plain _wrong_! Look, you've told us the news and in six months there's going to be a screaming baby in the room right next to mine. Can I go now?!" She didn't wait for an answer, she got up and stomped out of the room.

I really had no reference for a situation like this. I felt totally out of my depth.

.

.

**BPOV**

It could have been worse. That's what I'd been telling myself since the night of Lexie's birthday. The other two seemed to be genuinely okay with it … Maddie had even asked to see the ultrasound and kept asking me questions. Aaron didn't show the same interest but I never expected him to. He took the news with his usual, laid-back attitude. But Lexie … well, _that_ had been worse than I'd imagined.

I was at work today for a meeting about how my new hours would fit in with the projects we had going on. However, though Edward tried to insist, I couldn't have a lie-in; school was starting up again today. The kids had gotten used to being able to sleep in, so being faced with the prospect of three surly teens was not something I was looking forward to. Nevertheless, I had done my motherly duty of going around knocking on doors to rouse my brood. Lexie pulled her door open and walked straight past me to the bathroom. Yes, I was getting the silent treatment, and so was Edward. I'd taken a deep breath to quell my growing irritation. We had agreed to give her some space to cool off, but enough was enough; tonight we would sit down and she would stay to listen whether she liked it or not.

"Morning, Bella," Jessica said chirpily. "Good weekend?"

I barked out a humourless laugh. "I've had better, Jess. You?"

"Nothing out of the ordinary. Here's your mail, by the way."

I thanked her, taking the handful of envelopes, and unlocked my office. After booting up my computer, I checked my emails, shaking my head at the amount of links Alice had already sent me for maternity and babywear. Edward and I had spoken to everyone since Saturday, but hadn't seen them, so I imagined Alice would still have a lot to say for herself. The only people who didn't know were Charlie and Renee; they'd rang to speak to Lexie on the morning of her birthday, so we hadn't had need to speak for a couple of days.

I had a while until the meeting so I decided to suck it up and ring them. Crap, I felt like a teenage girl telling her parents she was 'in trouble'.

"_Swan residence," _Charlie answered gruffly.

"Hey, Dad."

"_Hey, sweetheart! Everything okay up there?"_

"Yeah, we're okay. In fact, we've got good news?"

"_If it's good news then why did that sound like a question?"_

"Because telling you makes me nervous!"I told him, clearing my throat. "Dad, we have good news. Period. You and Mom are going to be grandparents again."

He was silent for a long moment, before I heard a roar of what I hoped was joy and a clunk as the phone dropped.

_"Bella Marie, am I hearing right?" _Renee asked._ "Your dad's dancing around the room like a raving lunatic shouting he's going to be a grandpa again!"_

"You heard right, Mom."

Renee screamed as well, before launching into a stream of questions so long that eventually I had to cut her off to make the meeting. Not that I'd exactly get in trouble considering the four of us were family, but we all had things to do and I didn't want to put them behind schedule. My parents said goodbye with the promise of another phone call in a couple of days and a visit at Thanksgiving.

I made myself a cup of tea in the break room, savouring the aroma of coffee that floated through the air, and went to Edward's office. Emmett and Alice were over at the conference table, while Edward sat at his computer. He'd removed his grey suit jacket, and his blue shirt sleeves were rolled up, showing his toned forearms. He was running a hand through his bronze locks, his perfect lips moving silently as he read through something on the screen, and he was wearing glasses. Ungh. I wanted to tug that hair, to nibble those lips, steam up those lenses.

He obviously felt the weight of my stare, because he looked up, his mouth upturning into a smirk. He got up from behind his desk and kissed me. "I do believe you're making a habit of checking me out, Mrs. Cullen. In fact—"

"Do you two have no sense of boundaries?" Alice asked. "We're right here!"

"Says the woman who got arrested for public indecency," Edward retorted.

"One time that happened, you prude!"

"Don't forget the caution," Emmett added.

Alice turned on him. "You want to talk about indecency, huh, Streaker-Boy?"

Em raised his hands. "Hey, at least I'm wilder than Eddie!"

"Children, children," I said. "I suggest we move along, unless you would like me to prove just how _thoroughly_ wild your brother can be."

Alice gagged while Emmett gave my husband a high-five. People often wondered whether it got too stressful working with family, and I could see why they would think that. However, for me that just wasn't the case. Sure, we might disagree at times or snap if we're in a bad mood, but on the whole, we just worked well together, especially as we all worked in different areas of the company, apart from me and Alice.

We all sat at the conference table and actually began discussing the issue at hand. Fortunately, the only jobs I had ongoing were near completion, and Alice, Heidi, Senna or Chelsea could help with the stressful final stages of the projects if I needed them. We also agreed that I wouldn't take on anymore solo commissions. Basically, once these current jobs were finished, I would be getting paid to come in when I wanted and share ideas with Alice. There were definite advantages to working with family. We really needed to hire someone quickly, though, so we decided to look over the résumés we had received.

"I like this guy," Alice said. So far, we had one in the 'interview' pile, a few 'maybes', and a shitload of rejects. "His name's Jacob Black, twenty-eight, currently works at _Eclipse Designs _in Seattle and has been there for four years … excellent references and judging by his covering letter, genuinely passionate about design. I'd be interested in looking at his portfolio."

We agreed to add him to the interviewees and went back to the applications. It was a lot harder than you would think—not just finding a good designer, but finding a good designer who reflected the values and work ethic of _Cullen, Inc. _

"This is promising for the intern position," Edward said. "Carmen Mackenzie, twenty-year-old, part-time Institute of Design student, nominated for several teen designer awards. She comes across very well in her letter … kind of reminds me of a young you, Bell."

Emmett guffawed as I glared at my husband.

"Shit, that didn't come out right," he said, backtracking. "I just mean you're not _as _young and …" He caught my glare. "You know what? I'm just going to shut up now."

"Good move," I muttered.

Soon we finished up, pleased with the applicants we had whittled down. Emmett and Alice left, the latter not without a promise of a proper catch-up soon. As soon as they were gone, I shut and locked the door, and closed the blinds. We hadn't had office sex in like a year, and the mommy hormones were surging.

"So, not as young, huh?" I asked playfully, walking over to where he sat on the corner of his desk. He gulped.

"Bell, I really didn't mean it like that …"

I pressed a hand against his chest and a finger to his lips. "Shh … I know what you meant. Besides, you know what they say about _experienced _women like me, don't you, baby?" I leant in to lick the shell of his ear, and I felt his cock stirring in his pants. Good, because I'd been horny since the moment I set eyes upon him this morning.

"What?" he asked, his voice rough with lust. Just one word in that sexy voice had my panties wet.

Running my hands down his chest, I began to whisper in his ear. "We know how to please a man, Edward. We can show him a world of ecstasy. But most of all? We like it hot … dirty … and _hard._" I ran my hand over the bulge in his slacks, and he groaned softly.

"Fuck, Bella … is that what you want, baby? Do you want this?" He thrust his hips against me.

"God yeah, but this is my show, Edward, and I'm going to fuck you right here on your couch."

"_Shit,"_ he cursed._ "_You think you can keep quiet, Bell? Or are you getting wet knowing that temp outside might hear us?"

I couldn't help it; I moaned. I didn't know the girl from Eve, and it was so thrilling that she might know exactly what we were doing in here. Edward's hand slipped under my skirt, his fingertips caressing my sex through my panties.

"You naughty girl, Bella," he murmured. "So fucking wet already." He brought his lips down on mine hungrily, the almost-bruising kiss filled with desire, as I undid his belt and pants, pulling out his cock and stroking it once.

"Sit on the couch, Edward," I told him forcefully. His eyes were pitch-black, and he took a seat on the black sofa.

"Wait," he said, "you're not going to get me naked then handcuff me here 'cause of my 'young' comment, right?"

"Not this time," I said wickedly, slipping my skirt off and removing my panties. I positioned myself so I had one leg on either side of him, and I could tell he was dying to put his hands on me, turn me over and fuck me into oblivion. "Do you want me, Edward?" I asked, biting my lip and looking at him from under my lashes.

"_Yes,"_ he groaned. "Please."

I toyed with him for a minute, hovering over him until I decided to put him (and me) out of our misery. As I sank down on him, I could feel every inch. Up. Down. In. Out. Every time I lifted up, I felt the loss.

"So fucking sexy, Bella," he groaned. "Watching your pussy take my cock."

"God, Edward," I cried. He was so deep inside of me, thrusting up to meet me now. My nerve endings were on fire with every pass of his dick. I squeezed my walls around him, knowing he loved it.

"_Fuck, _baby," he grunted as he picked up the pace. "_Such_ a naughty girl."

"You love it," I panted, moving faster.

"Fuck yeah … always so good … always so tight …"

I locked my arms around his neck while he kept his hands on my hips. We pressed our foreheads together, locked in one another's gaze as we drove each other higher. The love and lust in Edward's eyes was so intense, I began to feel the heat rising through my body.

"That's it, baby, please … so close," he begged.

"Come with me, Edward," I told him, and squeezed my muscles around him once more. Instantly, his cock hardened and pulsed within me as my own orgasm came crashing down. I buried my face in his neck to keep from screaming out as Edward groaned through his release, before we both collapsed in a panting, sweaty heap.

.

.

Edward's schedule was fairly clear and nothing he couldn't do from home, so after we had recovered and re-dressed, we ditched. It wasn't something we did all the time, hell, there wouldn't be a company if we did, but occasionally it happened. We felt the need to spend some time together, which may or may not have been spent in bed. That's not to say we had constant sex for the whole day—Edward wasn't twenty anymore—but we made out and cuddled and talked in between. My post-coital high following our shenanigans, however, shattered the moment the front door slammed, rattling the glass.

We were both in the kitchen and Maddie and Aaron soon appeared, immediately heading for the fridge with a quick greeting, but our youngest headed straight up the stairs.

"Lexie!"

"What?!"

"Come join us in the kitchen please."

I heard stomping and resisted the urge to roll my eyes. She cut a surly figure as she slunk in. "Yes?"

"We just wanted to ask you guys how school was," I said softly.

"It was school, Mom," Lexie said sassily. "No different to any other day."

"Lex," Aaron said, "that's not true; it was your first day of high school." Both he and Maddie were trying to get their sister to come around and had been going out of their way to be nice and not wind her up.

"Whatever. I'm going to my room. And Mom, next time, you might want a top that actually fits."

I looked down instinctively at my bump as Edward's hand slammed down on the table. He'd reached his limit, and so had I. "Sit down, Lexie," he said firmly, but she kept walking. "I said sit down, Alexa!"

She huffed and sank into a chair, arms folded. The air was fraught with tension.

"Aaron, Maddie, can you give us a minute? We do really want to hear about your days, though."

"Sure," Aaron answered.

Maddie kissed my cheek. "Don't listen to her. You look fantastic," she whispered.

When they had gone, I spoke up. "Now listen, honey; this attitude has got to stop. We want you to _talk_ to us. Tell us what is making you so angry."

She threw up her arms. "Ugh! This whole thing is just wrong!"

"Try again," Edward said. "'Cause I don't believe that's your only reason."

She narrowed her eyes. "I just don't get why you're doing this! I don't want some little brat around the house, screaming through the night and changing things."

He ran a hand through his hair in frustration. "Lexie, we told you: we didn't do anything on purpose. Accidents do happen."

"Yeah, if you're stupid," she mumbled.

"That's enough," Edward said firmly. "You need to cut the backchat, Alexa, because we won't stand for it. You need to stop acting like a child."

Angry tears filled her eyes.

"Honey," he said, softer now, "your mom and I love you so much. You will always be our baby girl, no one will ever take your place."

"That's not true," she grumbled. "Madison will always be your eldest, Aaron your eldest son, the baby will be the youngest … what will I be? The second daughter?"

I felt my own eyes tear up. "You're our Lexie. You're absolutely unique in every way and we love you with all our hearts. Nothing and no one could ever change that."

She rolled her eyes, wiping them quickly. "I'm still not going to be happy about it."

"We don't expect you to be over the moon just like that," Edward said. "But we won't put up with rude behaviour, backchat, or silent treatment in this house. Got it?"

"Got it."

I really, really hoped she had.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

**BPOV**

Nothing is better to a pregnant woman than the sight of a restaurant and a bathroom after a morning's shopping (unless you happened to have my husband naked, horny and hard, which at that moment, I didn't). At thirteen weeks pregnant, I'd given in and accepted I needed to buy some maternity clothes, so I'd headed for the mall with Rose and Alice—although we hadn't made it to a maternity store yet—and now we were meeting Esme for lunch. My craving for Mexican could finally be satisfied.

"How are you feeling, Bella?" Esme asked as we ate our delicious baked enchiladas.

"Better in the past couple of weeks," I told her. "The usual aches and pains of pregnancy—heartburn, hormones, having to pee every ten minutes ..."

She laughed. "And how are things with the kids? Is Lexie still taking it badly?"

"Yes," I said with a sigh. "She's better than she was since Edward and I made it clear we wouldn't stand for her rudeness, but her answers are still short, she's keeping her distance, and if anyone asks anything to do with babies or pregnancy, she leaves the room."

"She'll come around," Rose said as the three of them looked at me sympathetically. "Maddie and Aaron are that bit older, but Lex … she'll probably tantrum over this for a while. She's going through a lot of changes. Just give her time and keep being there for her."

"Yeah, you're right," I conceded. "Maddie's so interested in the whole pregnancy, and Aaron's even helping me more at home … I just wish Lexie could see this won't change our love for her. I almost asked Edward to cancel our weekend."

"Isabella Marie Cullen," Alice said firmly, "you cannot cancel your birthday getaway just because Lexie is having a strop. I get why you feel that way, but you can't let her dictate your every move. If you do, she'll use it."

"I know," I agreed. "To be honest, we _need_ to get away, even if it is only for a couple of nights."

Esme nodded. "You do, dear. You need to go relax and recharge, and let my son spoil you rotten. Got to keep you and my newest grandbaby happy and healthy."

"Do you have a preference, B?" Rose asked. "Boy or girl?"

"I'm really not fussed either way."

"What about Edward?"

I thought about it for a second. "Do you know, we haven't actually discussed it? I suppose because it doesn't really matter … and what with everything going on, it's sometimes hard to focus on the pregnancy."

They all nodded understandingly.

"Will you find out the sex?" Esme asked.

"Probably." I shrugged. "I mean, we didn't with Maddie because she was the first, but after that we wanted to know. I think I'd like to know who I'm buying for—there are enough other surprises in our lives."

After we finished our lunch, Rose, Alice and I headed for the mother and baby stores while Esme was meeting Carlisle. Let me tell you, maternity clothes had certainly improved in the fifteen years since I was last pregnant. Jeans, leggings, sweaters and pretty tunic tops were added to the growing pile as we made our way around.

I found my eyes straying to the baby half of the store, but pushed down the urge to go on a spree. It was still early and though I was out of the first trimester, I didn't want to jinx anything.

Arms laden with bags, we made one more stop at a new lingerie boutique.

"B, look what we got here!"

I followed the sound of Rose's voice from behind the rails of beautiful-but-tiny bras, finding her standing beneath a sign that read 'Maternity Range'. The lingerie surrounding us wasn't beige and boring, but sexy and cute. I grinned and began perusing.

Soon I had too many items to hold so I decided enough was enough for now and went to try some on. Even I had to admit as I looked in the mirror that my tits looked magnificent in the aqua babydoll.

"Come on, Bella, show us! Alice called.

"Is there anyone out there?"

I could almost hear their eye-rolls, but come on, I wasn't twenty anymore.

"No, just us two."

"Fine." I pulled back the curtain.

"Holy shit!" Rose exclaimed while Alice wolf-whistled. "Look at those jugs!"

"A little louder, Rose?" I only then noticed they were in lingerie of their own, looking perfect and skinny with not a bump or bulge on them. "That's it, you two broads ruin my confidence. Can't you help a pregnant woman out and at least start eating for two as well?"

"I'd be only too glad to help you eat your weight in ice-cream," Alice said, giggling.

I wiped a fake tear. "That's the sweetest thing you've ever said to me."

**EPOV**

For as early as the hot weather had arrived this year, autumnal conditions had come just as soon. By the end of the first week in September, there was a slight chill in the air, all memories of high summer temperatures blown away by a cool easterly breeze.

I finished typing my email where I sat at the kitchen table, pushing my glasses up the bridge of my nose as I read it back and clicked 'send'.

"Hey, Daddy," Madison said chirpily as she came in, kissing my cheek.

I looked up from my laptop screen. "You're awfully happy, sweetheart."

"I've got a Skype date with Riley in a bit, then tonight I'm going out for pizza with the girls." She shrugged, gesturing to my computer. "What ya doing?"

"Just confirming some last details for your mom's birthday trip next weekend," I told her. "Are you sure you're okay to be around? Nana will be popping in unannounced, but I can always get her to come and stay."

Maddie rolled her eyes, fetching a soda from the fridge. "Dad, we'll be fine. Where are you taking Mom, anyway?"

"Just up to Wisconsin. We don't want to be too far from home."

She was about to reply when Aaron came bursting rushing in.

"Dad! Dad, I need—" He stopped when he saw his sister.

"If guy chat is needed, I'm outta here." She left us to it with a quick wave.

I removed my glasses, closed my laptop and gestured for Aaron to take a seat.

"So, what's up?"

"I have a date."

I raised an eyebrow. "You have lots of dates."

"No I don't. Not the whole try-to-get-to-know-you date. Not dates that aren't about rounding the bases."

"Ah," I said, catching on. "You've met a girl you actually want to get to know better, not just between the sheets. Who is she? Anyone we know?"

"No, I met her last week at Navy Pier. Her name's Lucy. We talked and exchanged numbers, now we've been texting." He paused. "But there's a problem."

"Which is?"

"I don't know how to act on a proper date where I'm _not _trying to … you know, get into her pants at the end of the night."

"Okay, let's go over the seven magic rules again because clearly you've forgotten," I said teasingly. "First, as long as she feels comfortable with it, you pick her up. And you _don't _just beep the horn."

"What if her dad wants to meet me?"

"Then you man up and meet him. Rule two: be respectful and courteous—to both the father and Lucy. Three: if she looks nice, tell her. And I don't mean 'your tits look great in that top'." I raised a stern eyebrow. "She may look hot, but you tell her she looks beautiful instead."

"Do they really notice the difference?"

I chuckled. "Yes, son, they do. Telling a woman she's beautiful is a much bigger compliment than calling her hot. Rule four: you pay. I don't care if people think it's outdated, first dates should always be paid for by the guy, not because women are not equals, but because they deserve to be treated and made to feel special. She'll appreciate it, unless you're dating a feminist, in which case you might get a knee in the junk."

Aaron grinned. "As if a feminist would go out with me."

"You got that right," I said. "Next rule: keep it chaste. Don't expect anything at the end of the night."

"Got it."

"Six: be honest and be yourself. Let her get to see who you really are … not the suave bastard with pick-up lines." I punched his arm playfully.

"What's the last one?"

I grinned wryly. "Before the date, always take matters into your own hands … if you catch my drift."

"Da_-ad!_" He actually blushed.

I busted out laughing, but that was an important lesson for any teenage boy. Walking around with a constant boner was not the way to show a girl you cared to get to know more than her body. "Where are you taking her, anyway?"

"That Italian place, Cafe Piccolo, then there's a jazz concert in the park," he said, getting to his feet. "Thanks for the advice, Dad."

"Anytime." Seriously, who was this girl? My son was going to a jazz concert? Of his own freewill?

I shook my head as I picked up my laptop, cursing under my breath when I saw the grocery list Bella had left me underneath. It wasn't our main grocery shop of the week—as if she would leave me in charge of that—but still important. Especially if I wanted pancakes for breakfast the following day. I did, as it happened.

Checking I had my wallet, I folded the list up and went to grab my keys from the bowl in the foyer. "Kids, I'm going to the store!"

I heard muffled yells of acknowledgement and headed out.

Bella had developed a very sweet tooth in the past couple of weeks, so I wasn't surprised to find ice cream, Oreos and M&Ms on the list, especially with our girls' tendency to pinch them. They'd soon learn. Thank Goodness Renee wasn't here—she didn't believe in pregnancy cravings, as she constantly told Bella when she was carrying Madison. She also didn't believe in morning sickness or mood swings, saying she never experienced anything of the sort. Dear God, Charlie had an easy time of it.

I threw in an extra couple of sweet treats, working my way around the store and down the list. I assumed the last two items—flowers and wine—were for Emmett and Rose as we were going for dinner there that evening with my sister and Jasper. Next to 'flowers', my wife had written 'not the shitty ones by the cash register' followed by three exclamation marks. I admit I was tempted to try. But, of course, she would know, so like the good husband I was I stopped at the florist, getting a bunch of peach and cream roses and freesias for Rosalie, and a colourful mixed bouquet for Bella, 'cause that never hurt, right? And before you call me a cheapskate, I would be giving my love roses on her birthday.

By the time I got home, I was pleased to see Bella's car was in the garage. I dropped the groceries and Rose's flowers off in the kitchen and went in search of my wife, bouquet in one hand and a bag of M&M's in the other.

I found her coming down the stairs, her face lighting up at the sight of me—or perhaps the chocolate and flowers. That was more likely. I didn't take it personally.

"Aren't you just the sweetest man in the world," she said, throwing her arms around me and kissing me chastely. "Thank you."

"You're welcome, baby. Did you have a good time?"

"I did actually." She grinned, taking the goodies from my hands and heading into the kitchen with me at her heels. "I just put my bags away."

"And would there be any naughty lingerie in those bags?" I asked, snaking my arms around her waist as she filled a vase with water.

"It's my birthday, not yours."

"You wound me."

She giggled, spinning in my arms. "Well if I did buy any, it would be in one of my secret places you know nothing about."

"You don't have secret places."

"That's what you think. As a mother and a wife, I have a built-in radar for hidey-holes."

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, course."

"I know there's a loose piece of skirting in Aaron's room—"

"I bet there've been lots of loose pieces of skirt in his room." I snickered. "But seriously, that doesn't mean you have a 'radar'."

"Oh really? How about the loose floorboard in Lexie's bedroom, or the false back to one of the garage cupboards? And don't think I don't know you hide lesbian porn in a subfolder called 'Willow Cottage blueprints'." She raised a smug eyebrow, crossing her arms.

I choked on air. "How the …?"

"Radar," she said simply, tapping her head.

"Wait, why were you snooping my computer?"

"I was looking for the drawings of the Howes' new place and wondered why I'd never heard of Willow Cottage. Now I know." She winked. "And, baby, next time? Let me watch with you. I found it rather … stimulating."

Cue more choking. And pants getting tight.

"You liked it?" Jesus, I was almost panting. Bella and I had watched porn together before, but just straight porn. Oh the possibilities…

"Does that turn you on, baby? You like the idea of me getting wet watching some girl-on-girl action?"

I kissed her. Hard.

"Time for a joint shower?" she asked.

"I thought you'd never ask."

We giggled all the way upstairs like lovesick teenagers.

* * *

I checked my watch. Again. "Bella, hurry up!"

I got no reply from upstairs, so I made my way to the living room. Lexie sat there texting on her smartphone, her overnight bag by her side.

"Hey, kid."

She smiled, small but genuine. "Hey, Dad."

"You want a ride with us tonight or is your sister taking you?"

"Maddie's taking me. Thanks, though."

"You know where we are if you need us." I sat down beside her. "What do you say tomorrow we take a ball out? Exercise that leg a bit?"

Her grin widened. "I'd like that."

I dropped a kiss to the top of her head and she leant into me. We sat there for a while just enjoying a moment to ourselves. Life was so hectic recently, there just never seemed to be enough hours in the day, so moments like these were precious.

"Edward, I'm ready!" Bella called, appearing through the doorway as she fixed her earring. She smiled at the sight of us, coming over to give Lexie a kiss. "Maddie's just coming now, honey. See you in the morning; call us if you need us."

Our youngest waved us off and we shouted our goodbyes upstairs just as Aaron came jogging down. His hair was artfully styled and he was uncharacteristically smart—blue button-down, smart, dark jeans, tan loafers and a black blazer.

"Have a good time, guys," he said cheerfully, grabbing his keys. Bella stood there in shock, watching him disappear out the door.

I chuckled, fetching the wine and flowers from the kitchen. "Let's go, baby."

We filed out into the garage, slipping into Bella's SUV. She said she might as well drive seeing as though she couldn't drink anyway.

"Who was that and what's happened to our son?" she asked as we pulled out onto the road.

I snickered. "He's got a date."

"He has lots of dates."

I chuckled. "That's what I said. Apparently this one is serious; he came to me for advice earlier."

"And what did you say?"

"I told him to beat off before he went out."

Bella smacked my chest. "Like he needs any encouragement. He hasn't let go of the damn thing since he discovered it." She shook her head. "Men. Seriously, the way you two shower I'm surprised our neighbourhood has any hot water left."

"You weren't complaining earlier."

"I'm pregnant, what's your excuse?"

"I've got a sexy-ass wife who constantly gets me hard."

"Ed-_ward. _Don't start something you can't finish."

I raised my hands. "Hey, I have nothing against car sex."

"Ha! Dream on, buddy. My car sex days are over."

I was still pouting when we pulled into my brother's drive behind Jasper's car. With the bottle of Merlot in my hand and the flowers in the other, we walked up the flagstone path and rang the bell.

My brother greeted us with his usual exuberance, leading us through to the kitchen where Rose, Alice and Jasper stood chatting. I could smell Rose's homemade lasagne and instantly started salivating. Her cooking was awesome—not as good as my wife's, but pretty amazing all the same.

"What can I get you to drink?" Em asked.

"Beer for me," I said, turning to Bella. "Baby?"

"Have you got any sparkling water?"

"You bet." My brother fetched our drinks and we men soon found our way to the game room. I was pleased to see bowls of snacks and dip waiting; I was seriously hungry.

We played a couple of games of pool before heading for the La-Z-Boy chairs.

"Who's looking after my nieces and nephews?" I asked them, tipping a handful of cashews into my mouth.

"Your mom and dad have the twins," Jazz said.

"Yeah and Dale's gone bowling then he's staying over at a friend's." Em sank down into a recliner. "I had to give him 'the talk' last night."

"Dude, he's almost sixteen," I said. "Didn't you leave it a little late?"

"Nah, he had the first talk years ago. But last night we found him reaching second base, so I thought it was best to give him the second." He chuckled. "Rose almost had a heart attack and I think I grew another hundred grey hairs."

I laughed. "Dad always used to say we'd be punished one day for being such pains in the ass growing up."

"Man, it makes me want to buy him a big bottle of scotch. And one for me while I'm at it so I can wash the sex conversation from my mind." Emmett shook his head, grimacing. "Do you have any idea how disturbing it is putting a condom on something that's not your own dick? In front of your son?"

"Yeah, I have a pretty good idea." I turned to Jasper, grinning. "You've got this joy to come."

He groaned.

"What were you like as a teen, Jazz?" Emmett asked. "Did that southern accent get you all the ladies?"

"Nope. I had my high school sweetheart from age fifteen up until my sophomore year of college. Then I dated on and off but nothing lasting until I met Alice."

My sister's head popped around the door. "Ah, so this is what you get up to. You're just a bunch of gossips."

Emmett flipped her off. "Please tell me dinner's ready."

"Why else would I brave it into the man cave?"

"Jasper, what is Alice's dream vacation spot?"

After a delicious meal of mozzarella and prosciutto balls, lasagne with garlic bread and salad, and a chocolate mousse, we had headed for the lounge and brought out what we called 'The Couples Game'.

He rolled his eyes. "Easy. A trip to Europe, stopping in Paris, Milan, and London.'

"That's cheating!" Emmett exclaimed. "You have to pick _one._"

"Okay, well … I'm going to say England, 'cause Alice has a secret hobby of watching documentaries on British history."

"Jasper! It's a _secret _hobby for a reason." She huffed, folding her arms. "But yes you're right. Good job, baby."

They high-fived and Jasper took the next card, moving round the circle. "Rose, what is Em's most embarrassing moment?"

I instantly began chuckling and my brother shot me a glare. I knew this one, unless something else monumentally embarrassing had happened to him in the last two decades.

"He doesn't get embarrassed!" Rose cried, looking at the exchange between Emmett and myself. "What am I missing?"

"You never told her?!" I asked, laughing. Oh, this was brilliant.

"Emmett Dale Cullen, there better be a good reason you've kept something from me for twenty years!"

"Rosie, it's too embarrassing …"

She raised the bitch brow. Even Bella and my sister were confused.

"Fine," Emmett groaned. "Edward, you tell it. I'm going to get to work on this wine so I have no recollection of this conversation tomorrow."

"So, I'd just started back at Northwestern as a sophomore, Em as a junior ... that would make it, what? 1988? Anyway, we were both living in the Frat house and there was a party that night. We were both pretty trashed and scouting the talent." I glanced to Bella in apology, despite the fact I hadn't even met her then. "We both hooked up with girls—in retrospect they were a bit clingy."

"A bit clingy?!" Emmett exclaimed. "Felt like I was wearing spandex."

"Next thing I knew, he's bursting into my room butt naked screaming like a girl that his dick is bleeding and he's dying."

Everyone turned, chuckling, to look at my brother, who was filling his glass to the brim.

"He didn't notice the girl under my covers, so he kept ranting and raving until his chick turned up behind him in just his shirt, screeching—," I tried to stop laughing, "—'Ethan, can you take me to the store? My period started'."

There were groans of disgust around the table.

"Em turns green and pukes in my trashcan, and the girl in my bed pokes her head out. She's only the biggest gossip on campus—he was called 'Red' by everyone for the rest of the year!"

Everyone laughed apart from Emmett. "Thanks for that, _brother._ I'll get you back."

It was late by the time we got home, Maddie and Aaron's cars already in the garage. There was a light on in our son's room, so I passed it with a 'goodnight'. I peeked in on my eldest, sleeping peacefully with her hair strewn across the pillow. I smiled. Kids could age you, worry you and drive you up the wall, but the innocence of their faces in slumber transported them back to being that precious five-year-old.

I dropped a kiss to Madison's forehead. I may no longer be the king of her castle, but she would always be my princess.

* * *

**Please let me know if there is still interest in the story... The next chapter is another fluffy one, but then we're back to the ups and downs.**

**I am planning lots of outtakes and flashbacks with this story, including one for Toys 4 Tots at Christmas. **

**Thanks to all who review :)**


	16. Chapter 16

**Thank you to everyone who reviewed! And to A-Jasper For-Me for beta'ing :)**

* * *

**Chapter 16**

**BPOV**

"Finally, where do you see yourself professionally in five years' time?" Edward asked.

The morning's interviews had not yet borne fruit—none of the candidates seemed to fit. However, I was quietly confident about Jacob Black, a tall, bulky guy of Native American heritage, whose macho appearance juxtaposed his effeminate nature. We were all impressed with his portfolio and references, and his personality and diligence seemed like a perfect fit for the company.

"I'm going to be optimistic here and answer what I hope to be true," he said. "I see myself working here. I'm not saying that to suck up—the fact is I am looking for a company that offers me stability and a chance to gain experience and better myself. I'm just not someone who likes to move jobs every six months. I like a job that offers both personal and professional growth, and I really see _Cullen, Inc. _as the company that can best offer me that."

I made a few notes on the paper before me, as Edward, Alice and Emmett did the same.

"Well, Mr. Black," Emmett said, smiling. "That's all of our questions. Do you have any of your own?"

"Just one," he said, grinning as he turned to Alice. "Where did you get those shoes?"

We all laughed as she answered enthusiastically.

When the door shut behind Jacob a few minutes later, Emmett turned to us. "Lunch?"

"Thank God!" I exclaimed, shoving my notes into my bag.

Alice texted Jasper to see if he could join us and we made our way to our favourite deli. They had strong coffee, the likes of which I couldn't have anymore, and the most mouth-watering sandwiches and other bites.

"So, what do we make of the candidates?" Edward asked, sipping his water. Although our table was fairly private, he looked over his shoulder. Just in case, you know.

Emmett began. "I don't care how impressive her résumé is, that Jane scared the fuck out of me."

"God, I'm glad it wasn't just me," Alice said. "She was cold. Emotionless. And the eyes? Why does she stare like that?"

Edward and I nodded our agreement. She had worked for great firms but she gave off an eerie vibe. Cold and clinical just wasn't our style; I didn't see her fitting in with us. I could see her causing unhealthy rivalry amongst the other girls.

Our food was brought to the table, and we went through the four other interviewees before arriving at Jacob.

"Hands down my choice," Alice said. "Meets all the criteria, in my opinion. I think it would be good to have a guy in design."

"He seems like the company's type of employee," Edward added. "He's looking for longevity and development, and he's not afraid of hard work. That's what we ask." He turned to me. "What do you think, Bell? You'll still officially be the other senior designer on the team."

"I agree," I mumbled around my bite of panini. "I think it will help the dynamic. He gets my vote."

Emmett agreed with us as well. It seemed we'd found a new designer.

With the decision made, I headed home to start our packing. We would be leaving the following morning, Friday, once the kids had gone to school, and the five of us—well, five and a half—were out for dinner tonight so I needed to make sure we were ready.

I heard a door being flung open across the hall, followed by Madison's growl of frustration. She stomped into our room, her curls bouncing up and down as she went and flung herself down on the bed next to the suitcase.

"Uh-oh, what's the matter, honey?"

"Men suck."

I was torn between a giggle and concern. Clearly she and Riley had argued, but I knew within hours they would have made up. She would learn that men often suck, as she put it.

My amusement soon turned into motherly sympathy when I watched those brown eyes fill with tears.

"Come on, tell your momma all about it." I sat down on the bed and pulled her head into my lap. As a child, whenever anything bad happened—skinning her knee, getting a cold or falling out with a friend—she liked me to stroke her hair. She'd never admit it, of course, but she still liked it when she was feeling low.

"We were talking about school next year," she said. "We were talking about my visit to FIT and he asked me when I was going to my see my other options outside of New York."

"Well that's a valid question, honey. What's the matter with that?"

"I thought you would be on my side! We'd planned all along for me to go FIT and now he's telling me I should look elsewhere."

"And what did you say?"

"That if he wanted to break up he should just come out with it. Then he called me irrational and ridiculous." She scoffed.

_Teenage angst, how I haven't missed you, _I thought, pulling her into a sitting position. "Maddie, you may not like what I have to say but it will stand you in good stead, okay?"

"Okay?"

"Firstly, did Riley say he wanted you in New York? Didn't he say these other options were back-ups?"

"Yeah, but—"

"No 'buts', honey. Say the worst happens and you don't get into FIT; you can't put your future on hold just for him. To me it sounds like he wants you there, but he's prepared to support you if you don't get your first choice—it sounds like he wants the best for you, whatever that may be."

She bit her lip, thinking my words over. "What about calling me irrational and ridiculous?"

I chuckled. "Sweetheart, one thing you will learn quickly is that couples fight. You're through the honeymoon period now, so it was to be expected. You'll stupidly be irrational and ridiculous at times, and he will stupidly _call _you irrational and ridiculous. Eventually, you'll learn to tone down the crazy—sometimes—and he'll learn to keep his comments to himself."

She smiled slightly. "I tried to talk to him but it was like a different wavelength; neither of us could see the other's point of view."

"Yup, that'll happen. Men and women are just programmed to think differently, so of course we're going to clash with our partners from time to time." I grinned. "As your aunts and I like to say, it's a problem with the wiring. Men try to run two heads with one motor; it's bound to short-circuit occasionally."

That got a laugh out of her. "Thanks, Mom … um, I think I'm going to call Riley back before I get ready."

"Good idea, babygirl."

Watching as she left, I sighed. I remembered the first fight I had with Edward and it felt like the end of the world. At a party the beginning of my sophomore year, he was busy talking with a group from his course. I'd lost Alice in the crowds and didn't want to disturb my boyfriend, so when a very nice—and very gay—friend pulled me onto the dance floor, I went with it. In hindsight, I shouldn't have assumed Edward would know Jared batted for the other team. He wasn't the stereotypical gay guy, all bulging muscles and tanned skin.

We were having a good time, drunk as I was, when Edward appeared from nowhere, grabbing my hand.

_"What the fuck are you doing, Bella?" _he'd spat. _"Is that your way of breaking up with me? Grinding against some pumped-up jock where everyone could see you?"_

I realised my daughter had accused Riley of a similar cop out. Like father, like daughter.

I'd tried to tell Edward about Jared, but he wouldn't listen. Then I got mad, 'cause I was drunk and indignant, accusing him of trying to control me and not even letting me explain myself. By the next morning, I could see that although my actions were innocent, they may not have been perceived as so by other people if they didn't know the full story. Edward kind of had a right to be angry, but so did I for him not letting me explain and acting like I was a possession. It didn't take us long to make up, though; we were soon in each other's arms again with frantic, whispered apologies and words of love.

Smiling to myself, I got back to packing.

The _Taste of the Orient_, a wonderful Asian fusion restaurant just ten minutes away, was definitely appealing to me that evening. It was essentially a buffet in that you could order as much from the menu as you wanted_, _but instead of helping yourself, they brought enough of each dish for the number of people at your table. I was seriously considering ordering the whole menu.

Edward ordered a round of drinks as we decided what to get. The menus were always brought back for you to choose your main dishes after the duck pancake course, so we simply chose our appetisers and sat back.

"I think we should do presents," Maddie said, pulling two wrapped boxes and three envelopes from the bag under the table.

"You guys spoil me." I reached for the nearest gift and envelope. Although I didn't say it, I knew this was from Aaron; his wrapping skills were not stellar, but to me it was more special that he had done it himself rather than getting it done in the store.

His card made me laugh, as I'd expected, but his present was surprisingly sentimental—a picture of the three kids from the summer in a beautiful art deco, black and silver frame.

Lexie bought me a box of handmade luxury soaps designed like beautiful little chocolates and teeny cupcakes, and Madison gave me a gorgeous Ted Baker black clutch with a satin, pastel pink bow.

"Aren't I just the luckiest mom in the world?" I said in gratitude. I toyed with getting up and hugging and kissing them, but they'd probably recoil in embarrassment.

Maddie was smiling again—I'd had to hurry her ass up 'cause she'd spent so long talking to Riley. Things were all good in their world again, so it appeared, and she would see him in two weeks.

Shit, that reminded me. "Did you book the hotel today?" I asked Edward.

"Damn, I knew I was forgetting something. I'll do it tonight."

"I still don't know why I can't go on my own," Madison said. "I'll be spending my evenings—all two of them—with Riley, and no offence, but having my dad around campus will be a bit embarrassing."

Edward sighed. "Firstly, we don't want you wandering around a strange city for the first time alone. Second, you're not going to stay with your … boyfriend … until you are eighteen and then only when you have our permission."

"Which will be never," Aaron said with a chuckle.

Edward smirked slightly. "And third, we're paying for your education so I'd like to see FIT for myself."

"Maddie, I'm sure there will be plenty of other dads there," I added. "You won't be the only one, so you have no reason to feel embarrassed. Okay?"

She opened her mouth to speak, but closed it again, shaking her head. "Never mind."

"No, what were you going to say, honey?"

"Ugh! It's not 'cause he's embarrassing, okay? But …" she lowered her voice, "…girls always _stare _at Dad. It's totally gross."

I was stunned for a minute before a giggle burst from my lips. I smirked at Edward, whose face was both shocked and smug. He joined in my laughter, and one by one the kids' disgusted grimaces turned to chuckles of their own.

It was nice just to have some quality time with the kids, hearing in more detail about school and their news. Lexie was a little subdued, but I knew she was trying to come to terms with the baby; I was sure it brought up a new level of identity issues about her place in the family. One day she would realise the place she occupied in our hearts would never belong to anyone else.

**EPOV**

The following day, after a birthday breakfast for Bella—cooked by Madison and Lexie, and dishes done by myself and Aaron—we headed up to Wisconsin, reaching the lake resort by 11:30 AM. After getting our key from reception, we made our way to the cabin I had booked. They were all set way back from each other, so although there were a couple of restaurants, a lounge, bar, reception, and a 5-star spa and gym in the main complex, it still felt like a completely secluded getaway if you wanted it to.

I pulled up outside our chalet and went to open Bella's door. The fall sunshine reflected off the deep blue lake where several boats were coasting lazily. Leaves on the majestic trees all around us were just beginning to turn an array of yellows and browns; it was a beautiful sight.

Bella had a serene smile on her face as she got out of the car. "This place is so beautiful. I'm a lucky girl."

"Only the best for you, love," I said, grabbing our case and Bella's vanity case. "Jesus Christ, what do we have in this thing? Rocks?"

"Maybe you're just getting weak."

I growled playfully. "You won't be saying that when I'm holding you up against the wall making you scream my name later on."

She opened her mouth to reply but was cut off by her stomach growling.

"Come on, Momma," I said, chuckling, "let's get you and Bubs fed."

The inside of the cabin was even better than the pictures had shown. It had all the charm of a wooden lodge but with the light and airiness of a grand house, the lofty ceilings and open-plan layout creating a huge, homey but luxurious space. The expansive, double-storey windows gave us a magnificent view out onto the lake, and dividing the kitchen-dining area from the living room was a giant stone fireplace, in front of which there was a thick, faux-fur rug.

"Wow," Bella murmured, spinning around as she took it all in. "This is amazing!"

"I'm glad you like it, baby."

Outside on the back decking there was a fire pit, grill, and a sunken hot tub with steps (fortunately with handrails. I didn't want Bella to slip, after all).

As in the great room, the bedroom windows took up the majority of the two-storey wall. The super-king–size bed sat beneath a white, gossamer canopy, and was covered in silky sheets and fine Egyptian cotton.

"Do we have food in?" Bella asked, as I placed the luggage at the foot of the bed.

"Yep. Let's go check out what we've got." The resort ran a grocery service, which I had put to good use, emailing them a list of everything we'd like stocked in our chalet.

Leading my wife by the hand, we made our way into the kitchen area. There was a welcome note on the nearby dining table, along with brochures about all the amenities on site.

"Jesus, Edward, we're only here for three nights," she giggled as we rifled through the cupboards and fridge.

I shrugged. "I wanted to cover most eventualities. Almost everything you have craved in the last month is here, as well as some essentials. I don't expect you to be cooking much, though."

"You're the kindest, most wonderful husband I know." She pecked my lips. "Now as much as I'd love to begin thanking you in other ways, this child of yours is hungry. Shall I make us something?"

"That's up to you, love. They do room service, or we can eat out, or I can give cooking my best attempt."

Bella giggled and waved me off. "I'll make us a sandwich."

"Hey, I can do that. I'm not completely useless."

"Not completely," she teased, opening the fridge. "What do you fancy?"

I wrapped my arms around her from behind. "You."

"Flattery will get you everywhere, Cullen, but you don't need it; you're definitely getting lucky tonight."

"Hmm, maybe I'll have to cancel the spa treatments in favour of an afternoon delight."

"Don't even think about it," she warned playfully. "I promise it'll be worth the wait, though. Now, what do you want in your sandwich?"

"Ham and cheese. And turkey slice. Oh, and jalapeños in the salad."

"And I thought I was the one supposed to have weird cravings," she mumbled, pulling the ingredients from the fridge.

Side by side we made our sandwiches, though I was surprised to see her opting for a conservative peanut butter filling. That was until she got out the chocolate spread.

"It's called a PB a cousin of the classic PB&J," Bella said, watching me eye her and taking a bite. "Mmm … a very delicious cousin."

I shook my head wryly, tucking into my own. I opened a packet of bacon-flavoured chips, and much to my disgust, my wife began putting the chips in with the PB&C creation, moaning around a mouthful. It didn't matter that I'd witnessed Bella's cravings through three different pregnancies, they would never fail to gross me out. That said, I would go get her any monstrous combination of foods as long as she was happy.

After lunch, we headed over to the spa. I left Bella in their capable hands for a massage, facial, manicure and pedicure, while I went to work out in the gym. I didn't have the body of a twenty-year-old, but I knew I looked good for my age and I wanted to stay that way; I liked to see Bella's eyes darken when she saw me naked.

However, my age was part of the reason I was pushing myself on the treadmill; I would be forty-five next year, with one child leaving for college and another in the crib. I didn't want our youngest growing up with a father too old or unfit to play sports or chase them in the park. Okay, so maybe I was being a bit melodramatic, but I didn't want to be a clichéd 'older dad', making them pretend they didn't know me because I'd be in my sixties when they were in high school.

With some cardio and resistance work done, I headed for the sauna and steam room to relax for a bit, before showering in one of those ultra-powerful 'massage' showers. I was seriously considering getting one of those for the house.

As I sat outside the spa in one of those so-deep-I-can't-get-out chairs, shutting my eyes for a second. The next thing I knew, I felt someone shaking me gently, Bella's giggle reaching my ears.

I shook my head as I opened my eyes. "I wasn't asleep."

"'Course not.

"Did you have a nice time, love?"

"I did, thank you very much, husband. You are spoiling me."

"You deserve it."

We made our way back to our chalet, and I was pleased to see the dining table had been beautifully set in our absence, as I'd requested, with a dozen white roses in a vase in the centre.

"Oh! They're so beautiful." Bella looked up at me misty-eyed. "Thank you for … well, everything."

"You are very welcome, but don't think I've forgotten your present. You'll get that at dinner."

"Ed-_ward_!" Bella scolded playfully. "This is all too much …"

"Nonsense. I just want to pamper you, got it?"

She grinned. "Got it."

Seeing as though I'd already showered, all I had to do was change into my dress pants and shirt while Bella was busy in the bathroom and fetch her gift from the car.

It was a shame there was a chill to the air, else we could have sat on the deck. But frankly, I didn't think wrapping up against the elements gave the ambience I wanted to set. Instead, I lit the many candles interspersed around the great room and flicked the switch for the gas-fuelled fire, pressed the button to close the curtains, and put on my jazz playlist.

Of course, Bella couldn't have champagne, so I'd requested some of that sparkly grape juice she liked. I was pleased to find it chilling in the fridge, and filled the ice bucket. I heard a throat clear behind me and my breath left me as I turned.

"Bella," I murmured. Her mahogany waves were loose around her shoulders and she wore a deep purple, half-sleeved wrap dress, her baby bump beautifully visible under the fabric. "I have no words."

"I hope that's a good thing, Mr. Cullen."

I took her hands in mine, pressing my lips to hers. "It's _definitely _a good thing, Mrs. Cullen."

I couldn't believe how amazing this woman still looked. She had stolen my heart when I was just twenty years old, bewitched and charmed me, and she still could bring me to my knees with just a glance. She had married me, given birth to my children, and was even at that moment carrying another precious life we created together. She blew me away.

I noticed her eyes shining and I frowned. "What's the matter, baby?"

"The way you look at me … like I'm your whole world." She smiled, fanning her face. "It still gets me."

"That's because you are, Bell." I pulled out her gift, concealed in a square red velvet box, from my pocket. "Happy Birthday."

Bella took it in her hands, a smile on her lips, and I watched her expression carefully as she opened it with a gasp. "Edward …"

Inside was a thin white gold band, matching her wedding and engagement rings, but this was inlayed with a row of glittering diamonds.

"It's an eternity ring," I said softly. "I was going to buy one for our next anniversary, but since we've learnt about Bubs … I wanted you to have it now. I'm so grateful for everything you've given me and I wanted something to show it. Because me and you, Bell? We _are _for eternity."

In an instant, Bella had her arms around my neck, and I felt her shake a few times against me.

"It's gorgeous. I can't thank you enough," she whispered, pressing her lips to mine. "I love you."

"I love you too, baby." I took the ring from its box and positioned it between Bella's wedding and engagement rings, both of us admiring the jewels adorning her finger. "Now, Mrs. Cullen, would you care for some non-alcoholic bubbles?"

"Yes, please."

I poured us both a flute of the grape juice and we clinked them together, taking a sip.

"Ugh." I grimaced at the taste, making Bella giggle.

"Have a real drink, Edward. One of us should toast my birthday properly."

I chuckled and went to fetch a glass of red wine.

"Do you want to sit for a while or eat now?" I asked.

"I'm just going to call home, then I could definitely eat."

I chuckled. "Okay, you do that while I ring the restaurant."

Bella raised an eyebrow at the fact I was clearly ordering for us, and I raised one back, silently telling her to trust me.

She smirked and headed for the bedroom, presumably to get her phone. Did I check out her ass as she went? You're damn right I did.

"I feel your eyes on my ass, Cullen!"

I laughed. "Would you like my hands instead?"

"Mmm, later tonight baby, later tonight."

God, that woman drove me insane.

I rang the restaurant to tell them we were ready for our first course and waited patiently as Bella continued with her phone call.

"Okay … mhmm … take care and be good … alright, sweetheart, speak soon … love you, bye."

She disconnected the call and sat back down again. Our places were set on the corner, which along with the candlelight and music made it all the more intimate.

"House still standing?" I asked, frowning slightly.

Bella smoothed the crease in my brow. "Everything's fine, baby. Apparently your mom already checked in with them after school and I wouldn't be surprised if she does the same again later. You don't need to worry. It's just you and me—" The doorbell rang. "—and room service, apparently."

I got up to let them in, tipping the guy generously, and took the tray he was carrying. Taking it into the dining area, I set the dish down in front of us.

"What do we have here?"

I lifted the silver lid. "The finest asparagus, baby carrot and radish, with tomato chutney, cream cheese and garlic flatbreads."

Apparently I had done well in my ordering of the first course, if Bella's eyes were anything to go by. I sat down, lifting an asparagus spear and dipping it in the cheese, which I'd made sure was made with pasteurised milk. I brought it up to Bella's lips, watching as they parted and—fuck_ me—_shelicked the cheese off the tip. Slowly she devoured the delicacy, her eyes on mine the entire time.

Maybe I hadn't thought this through. Sure, food foreplay was fun, but how could I sit through three courses of pornographic sights like that. I'd explode.

Somehow, we made it through the appetiser and a main course of strips of sirloin steak, Cajun tiger prawns, and tempura vegetables with a Thai sweet chilli and a hoi sin sauce. We moved to the living area for dessert—strawberries, raspberries, clementine segments and slices of pear with a rich chocolate fondue.

"God, this is incredible," Bella moaned. Her tongue darted out to lick up a stray drop of chocolate sauce and strawberry juice, and I couldn't contain my groan.

"Jesus, Bell, I'm going to come in my pants if you keep that shit up."

"Well we can't have that," she whispered huskily, her lips brushing my earlobe. "I think I'm done now, Edward."

"Bedroom?"

"No. Here. In front of the fire."

I hesitated, not 'cause I didn't want to make love to her by the fire—the prospect was more than okay with me—but because it might be uncomfortable for her.

"Edward, you have a very horny, very wet wife over here aching for you to fuck her. Do I need to persuade you?"

She got to her feet and undid the ties of her wrap dress, letting it slip from her shoulders.

"Holy fuck," I swore. She wore a deep purple and black lace babydoll, parted in the middle to show her bump, matching panties and hold-ups.

I jumped out of my seat, capturing Bella's lips heatedly while her fingers nimbly undid my shirt buttons and the zipper on my pants. When we broke apart, I stepped out of my clothes quickly, moving the coffee table to leave the thick, faux-fur rug clear for us. I took the throw pillows from the couch to make it comfy for Bella, and lay her down before me.

"You are so beautiful," I whispered, watching the firelight casting a flickering orange glow onto her skin. Then I realised I had my horny, lingerie-clad wife before me and I was standing there gawking at her. _Idiot. _

I removed my boxer-briefs, smirking as Bella rubbed her legs together, and lowered myself down beside her, surprised it was actually comfortable on the plush, soft rug. I trailed my hands tantalisingly slowly down her sides and back up to her breasts, pleased to find the babydoll had a front clasp at the cups, and quickly had that opened.

"Edward, don't tease …"

"I wouldn't dream of it." I began sensually kissing her neck, relishing her sweet skin, moving my lips down past her collarbone to her full breasts. Her hands fisted my hair as I lavished her nipples with attention, licking gently—they were sensitive, after all.

Our foreplay continued as I kissed my way down to her pussy, removing her panties, my breath fanning across her slick lips. "Do you want me to lick this sweet little kitty, Bella? I know I do."

"God, yes!"

I smirked against her, flattening my tongue and licking up her slit, moaning at the taste of her arousal. With her fingers wound in my hair, I licked and sucked, alternating between her lips and clit. When I knew she was getting close, I added my fingers, curling and pumping them in and out.

Her orgasm came upon her quickly, and I groaned as she clamped down on my fingers. I needed to be buried inside her, and she seemed to have the same need.

With hands clasped together and gazes locked, I pushed into her, fighting the urge to close my eyes at the sensation. With groans and whimpers, whispers of affection and devotion, we made love by candlelight, finding pleasure in each other. I poured every ounce of love I had into my touches and caresses, but even that would never be enough; Bella could never know exactly what she meant to me.

With a light sheen of sweat on our bodies, we neared our releases, and when I touched her sensitive clit, Bella exploded in her climax, triggering my own.

As we lay in each other's arms, a wave of utter contentment washed over me. I had a wonderful wife I loved more than life itself, three beautiful children and another on the way, a prosperous business, great family and friends. I should have been prepared by now, though; what goes up must come down.

* * *

**Please review :)**


	17. Chapter 17

**Ok so this isn't going to get angsty, just some life drama, because that's the way it goes sometimes. You don't need to worry about B&E or their baby, and HEA for everyone, mkay?**

**Thanks to everyone for your lovely reviews! And to A Jasper For Me for beta'ing!**

* * *

**Chapter 17**

**BPOV**

Our weekend away was perfect. You don't realise how fast you're moving through life until you take the time to pause, relax, and just be with the one you love. Edward proved himself to be as romantic as ever with sweet loving and indulgent pastimes that completely blissed me out. Arriving back on Monday afternoon still made me happy though. I loved to get away from it all, but I always wanted to come back.

The kids had just got home when we came in—it wasn't hard to deduce as they were all in the kitchen—and I gave them extra tight hugs they tried to shrug off. Well, all except Maddie.

"So, how have things been here?" I asked. "Any nice, _quiet_ weekend happenings?"

Madison was the only one who answered with much more than an unintelligible grumble, telling us of work, friends and homework.

Edward looked to our other children. "And you two?"

"Not much," Aaron answered glumly.

"No dates with Lucy?"

"No." His face darkened even more and he mumbled an excuse about having homework, fleeing the room.

"Either of you know what that's about?" I asked.

They both shook their heads.

"He's been like that since Friday," Madison said. "He barely went out, and he kept to his room."

Edward and I exchanged a look, both of us sensing this was more than just teenage hormones, and got up.

"Lexie, we want to hear about your weekend, okay?" Edward told her. "We just want to check he's okay."

"Don't worry." Our youngest nodded and waved us away.

Upstairs, rock music was coming from behind Aaron's closed door, so we knocked loudly. He let us in wordlessly, and I began to think he actually _wanted_ to talk to us. That scared me more than if he'd thrown a tantrum.

His room was a tip, naturally, but I tried to ignore it. Something had happened and our son was hurting—that was the most important thing at that moment. He turned the music off and cleared and sank into his desk chair, Edward and I taking a tentative seat on the bed.

"What's going on?" my husband asked. I found myself squeezing his arm.

What happened next set my imagination off in the worst way; Aaron looked up, and there were tears on his cheeks. I was a mother, I couldn't stop myself from getting up and wrapping my arms around him.

"Tell us, Aaron," I said, brushing his hair from his forehead. "We can't help if you don't tell us."

He nodded and looked to his dad. Edward was just as worried and nervous as I was, but he smiled reassuringly.

"Do you remember Tanya? That girl I … well, yeah, her?"

_How could we forget?_ Of course, I didn't say that. "Yes, we remember her."

"She's … oh God, she's saying … she's _saying_ she's pregnant … and that I'm the father."

As soon as that bomb dropped, so did my jaw. The only sound was Aaron's sniffling, and I met Edward's eyes.

Fear.

Disbelief.

Shock.

Doubt.

But we could deal with those things later.

"Did you use protection?" Edward asked, scrubbing a hand over his face. We had to get the facts first.

Our son nodded.

"Okay, how far along does she say she is? Has she got any proof she's even …?"

"She showed me one of those ultrasounds on Friday. Three months, apparently."

"You two weren't exclusive?"

Aaron shrugged. "She says there was no one else."

I could see Edward's mind working through the freak out, but all I could think about was my boy, scared and hurting, and the possibility it might be true. What would it mean for him? For us as a family?

"Well, we need to find out for sure," Edward continued. "There's a test we can get done. If it is true and it is … _yours _… then we need to discuss what to do next. Do you have her address? Home number?"

"She told me she's not sure what to do," Aaron cried. "And I'm so confused."

"Shh, baby," I murmured, my heart breaking for him, "let's take it one step at a time."

"Why aren't you yelling at me?"

Edward sighed, getting up and crouching down in front of our boy. "First, we don't know it's even true yet; let's establish the facts before anyone flies off the handle. And second, if it is true… I won't pretend we won't be sad and scared and even disappointed, but mostly _for _you. What good would yelling do? You're our son and we're not going to desert you, okay?"

The three of us stayed there for a while, and though I wanted to cry, I kept it in. But if it turned out Tanya was making this up or lying about the father, I would go Mama Bear on her ass.

* * *

That night I cried in Edward's arms. I knew we didn't know for sure, but I was scared, and knowing our son was hurting was awful. We were all caught in the terrible limbo of not knowing. Apparently, Tanya had only just told her parents, but we still rang and set up a meeting for the following day. Suddenly, everything was getting serious.

That was how we found ourselves in the Delaneys' house, the atmosphere heavy and tense as the six of us sat in the living room.

"So this is the boy that's got my daughter knocked up?" Randall Delaney said gruffly.

Edward bristled. "Without meaning any offence, that's something we would like to establish as fact first. We'd like her to have a CVS done."

"You calling my daughter a liar?"

"No, but surely you can see we need proof."

"Hmmph, it doesn't matter; she's not keeping it anyway."

Aaron's head shot up and he looked between Edward and me, panicked and lost. I felt like a terrible mother.

"Surely that's something we can discuss after we get the results?" I asked.

"You do realise there's a much easier solution?"

"No!" Aaron exclaimed turning to the quiet, blonde girl across the room. "If that is my baby, I've got a right to know for sure before you make a decision. Please, Tanya …"

She raised her tear-stained face and gave him a tiny smile. "I want to do the test. You're right, you should have a say."

We ended up booking the private appointment on the phone then and there. Two days' time, then approximately a two week wait. It would seem like forever.

As we drove home in silence, I looked out the window and cried silent tears, for my little boy who was growing up too soon, and as my hands covered my baby bump, I even cried for Tanya, who had a small but visible one of her own. She had to be scared.

We hadn't told the girls anything yet, just that we would tell them soon. I felt like I was being pulled from pillar to post trying to be there for everyone. Thank God for my husband.

"You okay, love?" he asked as I looked in the fridge. I should have gone to the grocery store.

I nodded. "Yeah, just trying to make dinner out of beer and cheese. Maybe I'll pop to the store now. I'll make a list. Actually, I think I'll just go—"

"Bella," he said, taking my hands in his, "just stop. It's okay to be frightened, but you've got to try and keep calm. For the baby, okay?"

He kissed my forehead, my nose and my cheeks, now wet with tears, and finally my lips.

"I feel like such a failure," I cried, nestling into his embrace.

"I know; so do I. But you're _not. _If the worst comes true … well, he may not be an adult, but he thought he was old enough to make the decision to have sex. We can only guide him, love. If he comes off the path we've set him on, we can't do anything but help him get back on it, okay?"

I nodded. "Thank you. You're such a great father to our children. Some would have ranted and raved, but you were calm and patient."

"Maybe on the outside." His lips twitched and he pulled me into him tighter. "Now, none of this store malarkey. We've got cereal for the morning, right?"

"Yeah."

"So then, takeout it is."

"Can we have Indian?"

"We can have whatever you want, love." He smiled, and though I could see the residual fear in his eyes and tension on his face, it was still genuine. "Smile for me, Bell. We'll get through this together."

I gave him a small grin. "Together."

* * *

**EPOV**

Of course everything would happen at once, because that was just the way life went, wasn't it?

I spent time down in the gym, running 'til my legs burned and pummelling the punching bag. I was scared and angry. Not at Aaron … well, maybe a bit, but that stemmed from fear and concern. No, my anger was directed mainly at myself. What kind of father was I?

If this turned out to be true, my grandchild would be born just a month after my own child. How fucked up can you get? And that was if they even decided … _no, _can't go there. So, I punched and kicked and ran, and I held Bella while she cried.

The CVS was done and we would have the results in four days. And yet I found myself boarding the plane at O'Hare with Madison for our flight to New York. I didn't want to leave Bella and the other two kids, but Maddie needed me, too. Although, not according to her. She was still bemoaning my presence, until I told her that it was either go with me or not go at all. She soon shut up.

As soon as we were airborne, I decided to go over the rules for the trip.

"Are you serious, Dad?"

"Very. Now, I know you want to see your … boyfriend … but this visit is so you can see FIT. So, we will attend the talks and tours in the day, and only then can you see him."

"Do I have curfew?"

"Yes, you do. You can see Riley _within a public place_—in other words, not his apartment or your hotel room—until 11PM."

"Dad!"

"Okay, 11:30 PM. Rule three: he must bring you back to the hotel, and leave again."

"Anything else?"

"Yeah, no clubs and no over twenty-one bars. Eating is a suitable date. So is bowling."

"Wow, you're really sucking the fun out of this trip," she muttered.

"Rule five: no complaining about the rules. Honey, I'm just trying to keep you focused and safe."

She sighed and even smiled slightly. "I know, Dad. I appreciate you taking me."

"There's my grown-up girl," I laughed. "For a minute I thought I'd lost you to a teenage tantrum."

"I'll save that for Aaron."

"Nice segue, babygirl." I ran a hand through my hair; I hated keeping them in the dark. "Just don't be too harsh on him, okay? We'll let you know what's going on soon, I promise."

She was satisfied with that, and soon had her earphones in and a fashion magazine out. I opened a book, but couldn't focus, re-reading the same paragraph numerous times before I gave up and stared out the window for the rest of the flight.

It only felt like a minute later that we were touching down at JFK. As soon as we could switch our cells on, Maddie had hers out, no doubt texting Riley. I rolled my eyes.

As we waited for her case (seriously, we were here for three nights, what could she possibly need that didn't fit in a carry-on?), her face grew gloomy after reading a text.

"Uh-oh, do I need to kick some ass?" I asked her.

She laughed. "No, but … he's invited us _both _out to dinner tonight."

_Ass-kisser. _Of course, I didn't say that out loud. "That's nice of him. What, you think your old man's gonna cramp your style?"

"Yes."

When did I get old and 'lame'?

We finally headed out once her case had arrived and we found a cab. Although I'd been to NYC several times before, including once with Bella and the three kids, I still loved seeing Maddie's face as we entered Manhattan. My heart clenched as I realised I could see her living here; it was the kind of place she would thrive in. But on the other hand, the thought of her far away from us in a big city … let's just say I would have to have a serious talk with Riley.

I'd booked a two-room suite so I could make sure Maddie was in on curfew, so once we were checked in, we went our separate ways to unpack and change for the evening. I rang Bella first, checking everything and everyone was okay, or as okay as they could be, and then went to take a shower.

When I came back out into the living area, dressed in dark grey slacks and a white button-down shirt, I could still hear the shower going from Madison's room. Dear God, how long could it take?

I knew she'd be locked away for a long while, so I kicked back with a beer from the mini-bar, contemplating when life became so complicated. Just when you thought you'd recovered from one blow, they hit you with another one. I was trying to stay afloat and keep everyone afloat with me, and it wasn't easy.

I was still lost in thought when my daughter came out of her room. She looked … well, stunning and just so sophisticated and grown up it made my heart hurt.

I got up and hugged her. "You look beautiful, honey."

"Are you okay, Dad?"

Jeez, I needed to get a hold of myself. "Yeah, I'm fine. You're just not my little girl anymore, are you?"

She kissed my cheek. "I'll always be your little girl really."

That brought a smile to my face. "Come on, let's go, shall we?"

We headed out of our suite and hotel, and hailed a cab. We were meeting at a steak restaurant, which sounded pretty damn good to me. When we arrived, we were told Mr. Biers was waiting.

"You go ahead, honey. I'll …" I waved a hand. Basically, I wanted them to get their greeting out the way, so I gave them a while and took a seat at the bar.

When I finally went through, they were sitting, heads close together, hands clasped. Why did I think this was a good idea? Oh yeah, I was led by my stomach. Plus, he couldn't do anything while I was there.

"Mr. Cullen," Riley said, getting up and shaking my hand, "it's good to see you again."

_I wish I could say the same._

"Thank you for the invitation to dinner."

We sat down and looked over the menu. I could tell they were holding hands under the table—please, I'm not _that _stupid—but I sincerely hoped that would be the limit of public affection.

Riley asked about Bella and the baby, Lexie and Aaron, and I asked about his job. He asked Maddie about school, but she told him a cliff notes version, clearly saving the real, detailed answers for when I wasn't around. I understood.

The food was good, and we actually got along pretty well. I still didn't like him, I didn't like the fact they were dating, but although I _could_ put my foot down, I knew it would break my daughter's heart. Riley seemed like a good guy, but I reserved the right to dislike him.

After the main course, Maddie went to the restroom, and I took my chance to have a man-to-man word with him.

"Look, Riley, if my daughter does get in to FIT and she takes her place, I want to get a few things clear."

He nodded.

"She will be an adult by then, but I don't want her living with you—if you're still together. She's young, and I want her to experience college for a bit, okay?"

"I understand, sir. Maddie is the one you'll need to convince. I've been there and gone through my college days, and I want her to have the same experiences."

I sighed; I could just imagine Madison's reaction when I broached this with her. "She's my baby girl, Riley. I won't be here to protect her. So if she does get in, I'm asking you to please try and keep her safe. I'm not asking you to smother her, just watch out as much as you can? I probably seem like an overprotective father to you, but … one day you'll understand."

"I promise, Mr. Cullen. I'll keep her safe."

* * *

Our visit to FIT only made Maddie fall in love with it more. I could see it in her eyes and knew she would be crushed if she didn't get in. She was grumpy, though, because we were leaving that morning and she'd had to say goodbye to Riley for two months.

My phone rang as we were browsing one of the airport stores, so I took it outside. Nerves began to kick in when I saw it was Bella.

"Baby? Is everything okay?"

"_Edward_," she cried softly. "_Oh, Edward._"

* * *

**Remember what I said in AN at the top? Baby Cullen #4 will be born safe and healthy :)**

**Now, I'd love to hear your thoughts on Tanya and Aaron. **

**Please review :)**


End file.
